The Spirt Behind The Blue Eyes
by Tornado 666
Summary: Seto Kaiba is a heartless jerk, and there seems to be no reason why. He hates Yugi becuase he beat him in a duel, but what if it was more than that? A new girl arrives at Domino. Could she be the past of Seto Kaiba?
1. Meet the New Girl

Tornado: Hiya people!  I decided to try a different type of fic since the only things I've written are humorous.

DT: Can you even do a real fic?

Tornado: Of course I can do a real fic!  I just like to do the humorous ones.

DT: Well I just wanted to make sure that you weren't taking on something that was over your head.

Tornado: Hey, DT, do me a favor and shut the hell up!  I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh by the way.

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Friends, who needs them?  Surely I don't.  All they do is stand in your way all of the time.  Keep you from attaining your ultimate goal.  Gardner knows not of which she speaks.  Yet, here I am, all alone because she left me.  Because the memories would haunt her forever.  What about the happy memories?  Are they not worth the time and energy to remember?  What was she so afraid of?

Than again, maybe I read her the wrong way.  Is it possible that she was not running from the past, but instead running from me?  That's ridiculous!  I've known her longer than any soul alive.  Yet why did she run?  Did she find a family to take care of her like I would have if only she had stayed? So many questions I have, yet none that I can answer.  Blue-eyes, if you can somehow sense my thoughts, answer me.  

I'm brooding, and I know it.  I remember those words she said before she left. "Don't come looking for me, for I may not even be alive."  These words have stuck in my head for what's seems like an eternity.  Ever since she left, time seems to pass slower.  It's all just a routine now.  I offered her a life that would hopefully make-up for the two years of horror, but she knew better than I did at the time.  Those horrors could never be buried.  Perhaps she was the smart one when she ran away.  Perhaps, I was a fool not to go with her, but she told me not to come.  She always did have Mokuba in her interests.  She knew that the solution was not for a young child. 

I come to this room much to often.  Insomnia brings me here, yet bad dreams will me away.  My heart is too strong for those illusions that this is all her fault, though in a sense it is.  I refuse to blame her for what happened to me.  Never will this be her fault, only my own.

Midnight.  The time I vowed never to rest at.  My fatigue that has developed over many months from lack of rest has finally caught up with me.  Just this once I'll sleep before one, but first I must check on Mokuba just as I did when she was here.

I make my way down from the tower of the mansion to the second floor where the chambers lie.  My sibling's door is the third on the left, though I don't bother to count.  My feet have long since memorized the path.  I crack the door to make sure that he is not awake.  Sure enough he sleeps so peacefully, unbothered by ghosts of the past, just as I want him to be.  I slip into the room unnoticed by the sleeping boy.  He still lies there with the moonlight illuminating his childish face.  He has not changed in three years. At least not like I have.  

I leave his room and make my way down to my own.  For reference I glance at the clock to check the time. One AM.  I was in Mokuba's room longer than it had seemed.  Nothing that I can do about it now.  I can't travel back in time because if I did there are so many things that I would change.

I'm up as early as I always am with my usual routine.  Get up, get a shower, see how much work you can get done before Mokuba comes bounding down the steps, get him ready for school, get the driver, drop Mokuba off at school, and finally get to school myself.  Quite boring actually.  

I waltzed into the classroom a little later than usual, but only four people were there.  I'd have rather had the entire class present than these four particular students.  I just ignored them as I walked back to my seat.  I pulled out a book and buried my face in it before they realized that I was here; it worked about as well as trying to jump off of a building with paper wings and trying to fly.  

"Hey, Kaiba," a sickening cheery voice said.

"Hello, Yugi.  Would you mind leaving me alone?  I'm feeling a bit claustrophobic."  

Man I was being nice to him today.  Usually I just tell people "leave me the hell alone" Wonder what's up with this?

"Okay, Kaiba, if that's what you want," the boy said before backing away from me.  

The rest of the class filed in without any acknowledgement that I was even present.  That was just the way I liked it.  No one notices me; no one has to face the bastard inside of me.  The teacher came in with an unexpected announcement.

"Class, we have a new student today!" Mr. Dictrix said cheerfully.

"Is it a girl?" a voice asked from the front.

"Yes, Mr. Wheeler, it is a girl, and I'll be sure not to put her anywhere near you."

"Shit," Joey muttered under his breath.

Mr. Dictrix motioned to somebody that was waiting outside of the door.  A tall girl stepped inside of the classroom.  She had long light brown hair that fell slightly past her shoulders.  She had a muscular look about her, and rather long legs.  Her bust was pretty big, and her china-doll lips were rose red.  What struck me most about her were her eyes. They were a shocking shade of cerulean and seemed to pierce into people's minds.  Overall, she was absolutely stunning. 

"Hi," the girl said nervously with her light, glassy voice.  "My name's Sclera Marshal."

"Sclera just moved here from Obadiah, and she'll be your new class mate."

/Well, duh/ I thought.

"Sclera, why don't you sit next to Mr. Kaiba in the back."

I noticed that her face paled slightly, but her expression refused to change as she slid into the seat next to me.  /Sclera, huh?  I once knew a Sclera, but she ran away.  Come to think of it, that girl looks almost exactly like Blue-eyes would if she was here today.  Must be a coincidence/ I dismissed the idea that this girl could even possibly be Blue-eyes.  It just was not possible in my mind.  

The bell rang signaling that it was the end of homeroom, and the girl along with the rest of the class filed out and headed for first period.

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Tornado: Well, what did you think?

DT: Not bad for the first chapter. My question is, is this going anywhere?

Tornado: In good time, DT, in good time.  For now R&R.      


	2. Unrecognized

Tornado: Well no one reviewed last chapter, which is perfectly understandable because it was down right boring.  

DT: Yes I almost fell asleep while I was reading it, and it was too short!

Tornado: Well, it's just the introduction to the story.  The chapters will get longer so relax.  Anyway, I don't own anything except for Sclera, and the millennium flame.  For those of you wondering how Sclera is pronounced it's Skuh-leer-uh.  Sorry but it was annoying when I realized that it could be pronounced about eight different ways.

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 Sclera's POV

The moment that I had stepped in the room, the familiar faces flooded through me.  How they all had changed over the three years in my absence.  Joey still had his blonde hair kind brown eyes.  Tristan was still his best buddy until the end of time.  Tea was still radiating with her perfect glow, and Yugi was just as short as he had always been.  The one face that surprised me was the face that I should have recognized the moment that I walked in, Seto Kaiba's.  I had not stared into his face for three years, and now, the moment that I had been dreaming about for so long, proved to be not what I had expected.  Time had not shed any pity on him.  Sure his face was young and handsome, but his eyes were weathered away into emotionless pits that never ended.  

I just sat down beside him without saying a word fearing what might come out if I did.  Seeing him again gives me second thoughts about what did.  Was it the right thing?  Why I had run away is still eluding my mind, but I know that there is a reason for why.  It lies with those memories of bloody nights, and praying for it all to come to an end.

I welcomed the ringing bell, and decided that it was best to just file out with the rest of the class.  Thankfully the principal had given me a map of the school because I would have been wandering for hours searching for the right classroom.

My morning passed without any more of my old classmates popping up in any of my classes.  I had signed up for all advanced, and was surprised, but gracious, that Seto was not attending any of my morning classes, which were too easy for my tastes.

The morning flew by in a blur, and I was soon hustling toward the cafeteria for lunch.  Everyone was staring at me as I entered the windowless prison, and bought my lunch.  Guys were checking me out, but I simply ignored them.  I was searching desperately for a seat that hopefully coed when I heard my name being called from somewhere behind me.  I spun around to see Joey, Tristan, Tea, and Yugi motioning for me to join them at their table.  I gratefully took the seat that was unoccupied, filling up the table.  

"Thanks, I was afraid I was either sitting by myself, or sitting with all guys."

"Yeah, yah looked like yah could use some help.  I'm Joey Wheeler by da way.  This is Tristan, Tea, n' Yugi," the blonde boy said.

"I saw you guys in class.  It's an honor to meet such great duelists."

"Thanks, Yugi's grandpa taught me how to duel."

"Really?  I taught the game to myself, and then ended up teaching almost all of my friends.  The game is my distraction from life."

"That's cool.  So, how good are yah?"

"I'm fourth in the world."

"Fourth in the world?  No way!"

"Yeah, I lost to Pegasus.  I swear he cheated, it was like he new my hand."

"Well, I'm sure there was some way that he could have seen your hand without you knowing it," Yugi informed me.

"Yeah, like through my mind!" I shot before I could refrain myself.

"It's possible."

"Yugi, look, you have a millennium item, so I'm sure after your duel with him, you know just as well as I do that his millennium eye allows him to read a person's mind."

"How did you know about the millennium items?"

"Because I have one, see it's called the millennium flame," I told him withdrawing a golden necklace with a flame pendant from underneath of my shirt.  It had a ruby sphere in the center that gleamed in the light.

"I've never heard of the millennium flame?"

"The millennium flame was worn by the princess of Egypt during the reign of king Yami.  The princess was the pharaoh's sister, and she was said to fight beside Yami in times of war." 

"Hm, that's interesting."

Seto's POV

My morning passed without another run-in with the new girl.  I was glad that I was not joining to have to battle with my attention between an unchallenging lesson, and a beautiful girl.  Normally, girls don't bother me, but something about her was different from all of the low-rated sluts that run around school flirting with every guy they see even though they have a boyfriend.  This girl paid no attention to the numerous stares that she was getting form every guy in the classroom, and sat down right next me without even so much as attempting to sneak a glance my way.  It was like she didn't even care that I was rich, or great at duel monsters; she just did her own thing.  I wish that there were more women like that, but riches and fame blind them all.

I strode into the cafeteria ignoring the hungry eyes of every girl in the place.  Wait, not every girl was looking at me.  Sclera Marshal was in a conversation with Yugi and the mutt.  I realized that I had purposely looked at her to check if she too was staring at me, fantasizing being by my side as I entered the room.  I quickly reverted my eyes to my usual table that stood in a shadowy corner close to the door.  I loved this spot.  It was the only place that I could block everything out and focus on my life that was always changing.  Today the first thing on my mind was the story behind the mystery girl from the city of Obadiah.  I shook my head hoping to annihilate the thought from my mind, but found that there was nothing else to interest my curiosity.  I began doing what I always did in long, boring meetings with absolutely no point: math problems.  As boring as it may sound, it always seems to distract my mind from anything that might be going on in my messed up life. /Twenty-five squared is six hundred twenty-five. Twenty-six squared is six hundred seventy-six.  Why am I staring at that girl?/ I thought as I caught myself staring at Sclera.  She was talking animatedly to the group of people that she was sitting with.

/What does she want with that group?  She could be sitting with one of the numerous clicks that the sluts have formed.  Yet another thing I don't get about her./ I went back to my math problems when the bell chimed alerting all students to go to their next classes.  I sighed, frustrated that I would probably be drifting off into erotic thoughts during my English lesson.  /This is just how I wanted to spend the day/ I thought before I rose from my chair and exited the room.

Sclera's POV

We were still talking about Duel Monsters when the bell rang.  Glanced toward the corner where Seto had taken a seat to find him darting for the door.  My gaze lingered there even after he had left.  When I turned back, Joey addressed me.

"I'm gonna give yah a bit of friendly advice, yah might wanna think about stayin' away from Kaiba."

"Why?"

"He ain't the friendliest person on the block." 

"Interesting.  He's got everything in the world any man could want, why is he so surly?"

"Who knows.  I ain't gonna try and understand the guy.  He's a jackass.  Yah've been warned."

"Thanks for the advice, I'll be sure to use it.  I'll see you guys in homeroom," I said before heading to the door.

So, Seto is a jackass.  Why doesn't that surprise me?  I guess Gozaburo succeeded in creating a replica of himself.  It's sad to think that the cheerful boy that I once knew is now a jerk.  That would explain why his eyes were so withdrawn from the world.  Maybe if I had stayed with him, perhaps I could have prevented that.  Poor Mokuba, his brother is a jerk and probably a workaholic.  The kid's going to have a rough life.  

I strolled through the halls to my next class.  Memorizing the routes of the school had paid off.  My thoughts were still on what Joey had said.  The tone in his voice had portrayed the thought that he was not on good terms with Seto.  Actually, he made it sound like nobody was on good terms with Seto.  I took a seat at the back of the room where I could think without being disturbed.  

I was deep in my thoughts when the most unexpected person walked in.  The boy had changed a lot since I last saw him, but nonetheless it was definitely him.  Ryou Bakura, the alleged albino, was standing in front of me with rather wide eyes.  I smiled, allowing my white teeth to shine through, and motioned for the boy to sit beside me.  His chocolate eyes never left my face as he plopped into the chair.  I was overjoyed that he was able to identify me even after all of these years.

"Hello, Ryou.  Long time no see, eh?"

"Oh my, I can't believe it's actually you!"

"You know that you're the first person to recognize me so far today."

"Not even Joey?"

"Joey, was completely oblivious, and I didn't get the chance really talk to Seto."

"Not even Yugi though?  I mean you'd think that…"

"I know, Ryou.  I was surprised that you even noticed me," I said cutting him off before too much escaped his mouth.

 "Didn't your last name give it away?  I know that there are a few Scleras around here, but I don't know that there are two from the same family."

"My name's Marshal now, Ryou," I whispered.  "Not Lireal." 

"Do your parents know about your past?"

"My foster parents died, and they left me a restaurant that they owned here in town.  I'm an independent now, living off of what the restaurant brings."

"Can you make enough money to support yourself?" he asked curiously.

"And about five other people.  It's a classy restaurant, and very expensive.  When I say restaurant, I mean about nine or ten across the country.  It rakes in some dough."

"Are you happy with it?"

"Ryou, you know that I've always wanted to be independent, but when I left that just wasn't an option.  Now I'm wealthy _and_ independent.  What more could I want?"

"Don't you get lonely?"

"Hardly ever.  I'm still in contact with my gang from when I was ten.  Pyro drops by and hangs out with me every Friday, and the rest of the guys come if he can't make it.  I love the position I'm in."

He nodded knowing that all of my life I've just wanted to live on my own.  I hated depending on anyone except myself because with my luck they al seem to fail me.  My friends are a different story.  I rely on them for so many things, but that's because it takes months before I trust them with anything.  Trust is the one thing that I have problems with.  A lot of people in my life have let me down on so many occasions, and those have stuck with to form a theory that if you don't get close to anyone you won't get hurt.  Well, that was back a few years right after I left Domino.  After I was adopted into the Marshal house, I realized how lonely my life was.  So, I began taking so much caution before truly trusting a person.  I was thankful for that when I began to have a fairly active love life.  I must just attract scumbags because every boyfriend that I had turned out to be cheating on me, lying to me, or ended up trying to rape me or some other physical action against me.  I just have lousy luck with lovers and parenting figures.

"So, have you been?" I asked him, eager to hear what he's been doing in my absence.

"Well, I continued playing Duel Monsters when you were gone," he began knowing that when I said, "how have you been?" I meant, "What have you been doing?"  

"That's great.  Have you gotten any better?"

"Yes, I have, but it's not quite up to your caliber.  Have you played on Kaiba Corps new dueling arenas yet?"

"The huge holographic boats, or the compact wrist-watches?"

His English laugh filled the air around us.  "I take it that you have.  It's amazing how much time and effort Kaiba puts into a game, especially since his favorite line is, 'I don't have time for this. I have a company to run.'" 

I chuckled.  That sounded just like Gozaburo.  I shook my head in slight disgust.  Ryou sensed what I was thinking.

"He's really changed since you left, Lera," the boy said gravely using my nickname in attempt to lighten the news.  "Right after you ran away, he became withdrawn suddenly.  He refused to talk to anyone, not even the teachers could get him to say anything.  I talked to Mokuba a few months later, and he said that Seto was burring himself in work. I decided that it was best to keep my distance and not remind him of you.  Why did you leave?"

The whole time I had been listening, with a smidgen of hope that I had told Ryou why I was going away, but now sat there in my empty void with nothing going through my head except how selfish I had been.

"He got along without you.  Perhaps it was for the best that the two of you deal with it your own ways.  He became secluded, and you removed any memorabilia of the incidents.  I'm not quite sure how those two solutions would have mixed," the boy voiced softly.

"I still feel like I betrayed him.  I know one thing, if I had to look at his face everyday, I probably would not have made it this long.  Now that he's older, he's changed enough that my mind's image doesn't go back to that boy when he was eleven years old, it stays and compares it to the boys that I've seen."

The silence that I had been fighting off was now victoriously present, slowly eating away at my soul.  I thought of all the things that I could have told Seto before I left, and in my mind they were blurted out, but in reality they were just thoughts that couldn't quite be worded.  I was glad to be talking about this to someone that knows me and the situation that I was in.  The thing about Ryou is he sugar coats the truth just enough that you aren't shocked by the extreme truth of it all, but you can still see that you've done either something right or something wrong.

 "Good afternoon, class," a female voice called from the front causing both Ryou and I to turn to face her.

She was a redhead with jade eyes and darkened lips.  Her eyes seemed to have a shadow looming over them from the black eye shadow that she wore.  Her skin was slightly tanned and her cheeks a pale rose.  She was rather pretty in my opinion, and it was semi-obvious that I was not alone in that thought.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Punjab," the class replied.

Ryou and I slid back in our seats slightly before he offered me a stick of gum.  I snatched it from his hand and thanked him before shoving it in my mouth.  We sat there for the entire lesson just staring blankly off into space chewing the gum that Ryou had supposedly "slipped" in.  at first I thought that we weren't supposed to have it, but when Ryou answered a question, the teacher got a full look of the gum and failed to mention it.  I thoroughly relaxed after that with my hand positioned on my temple.

Seto's POV

Finally, I'm out of that crowded cafeteria.  I don't have to look at Marshal any more either, but unfortunately, English is the most boring, simple class on my agenda.  I grabbed a seat in the back of the classroom like I usually did, and whipped out Tom Clancy's Executive Orders and read until the teacher walked in the classroom.  I hesitated in putting the book away, but I knew that I would never get away with reading during class.  The droning voice of Mr. Doctrine commenced moments later causing my mind to slip away from the class.  I closed my eyes and leaned back in my chair while my concentration began to refocus itself on another topic that was more appealing.

The ocean lay sparkling in front of me, as I was perched on the balcony of my beach house.  The golden sand was deserted along with the ocean.  One lone soul was frolicking in the waves.  The girl was muscular and her long brown hair was pulled into a high ponytail.  Her long legs were revealed as she walked out onto the sand. I turned inside, and was soon heading out to the beach to greet her.  I reached the sandy area within minutes, and the girl was standing there smiling at me.  She was wearing a bikini that had a black background and blue flames that set off her pristine sapphire eyes.  The water droplets on her body made her look even sexier than she already was.  She gently licked her rose lips as she beckoned me closer.  I was more than happy to oblige. I picked her up off her feet the moment I was at her side.  She laughed warmly as I felt the lust welling up inside of me.  I brought her down, and crushed my lips against hers engaging in a fiery kiss.  Her fingers began unbuttoning my shirt without breaking the kiss.  By the time I had removed my shirt we were both gasping for oxygen.  Her eyes were glittering as she began to remove my belt buckle.  I pulled her into another kiss.

"MR. KAIBA!"

I nearly jumped off of my seat as someone screaming in my ear snapped me awake.  Mr. Doctrine was standing in front of me with a furious expression.  

"What?"

I thought back to the content of my dream and prayed that I had not been muttering anything in my sleep.

"Perhaps If you spent less time sleeping you'd know what I was asking.  Name one of Shakespeare's plays."

I felt relief wash over me, and tried not to let it show too much.  "Hamlet."

"Good. Now if you'd be so kind as to pay attention to the lesson."

As he stalked off I allowed my mind to drift back to the daydream.  A bullet of recognition shot through my brain the more I thought about that girl.  / Damn you, Sclera Marshal./

Sclera's POV

Ryou and I had another lesson after our math together.  We exchanged phone numbers, and I promised to call him sometime tonight.  I headed back to homeroom feeling much happier now that I knew at least one person recognized me.  This year would be much easier now that I knew that I could talk Ryou if need be.   

The moment I walked into homeroom, Joey motioned for me to come over and sit with them.  I fell into the seat next to Joey, and watched the duel between him and Tea.  This was the perfect end to my day.  Whenever I watched a duel I watched from the standpoint of a judge.  I don't take sides or cheer one person on.  I look at the moves themselves to judge a player, and don't get intimidated with throwing their names or Duel Monsters around as scare tactics.  The outcome of a duel doesn't matter who you duel, but rather how you duel.  I watched the two of them with great interest and a keen eye.  Tea was obviously a beginner, and Joey was taking it easy on her.  I had been snagging looks at their hands all game long, and Joey had about three cards that could wipe Tea out.  When I glanced at his hand he always looked at me as though he felt bad that he could crush her and she had no idea.  Finally he broke.  He laid down his Red-Eyes Black Dragon, and wiped Tea out.

"Man, I coudn' take that for another second.  I just had ta lay my Red-Eyes," the boy exclaimed.

"How long did you have that card in your hand?" Tea asked.

"Oh, about half the game," I replied.  "I was wondering when you were going to lay it."

"Joey!  You mean to say that you took it easy on me?"

"Tea, if he hadn't you would have been wiped out within the first three turns," I informed her.  "You need to work on your tactics, you're so predictable."     

"How am I predictable?"

"Well, first thing's first, you lay the strongest card.  You're pretty good with magic cards, but what you don't understand about the game is that the most powerful card may not always be the most useful one."

"How so?"

"It's hard to explain, but before you lay a monster, consider what magic cards in your deck can be combined with that monster.  For example let's say you have a Battle Ox and a Mystic Horseman in your hand, and in your deck you have polymerization.  Also in your hand you have Curse of Dragon.  Curse of Dragon may be the strongest card in your hand, but it's no the most useful.  The Battle Ox or the Mystic Horseman is.  Get what I'm saying?"

"Yeah."

The bell rang declaring that the day was finished.  We grabbed our stuff and headed towards the door with the rest of the student body.  

"Hey, Sclera, why don' yah hang with us for the afternoon?" Joey asked.

"I'd love to."

I talked to Tea about the duel that had taken place in the classroom, and what I would have done differently about it. We were still talking when the sunshine warmed me as we stepped out of the educational prison.  Soon, Tea and Yugi commenced a conversation, and I joined Tristan and Joey in their discussion about motorcycles.  They seemed semi-surprised about my knowledge of them and the fact that I had a Suzuki myself, though I couldn't drive because I was only fifteen.  Tristan seized the opportunity to talk about his motorcycle.  I could tell that he was flirting with me, but I let it slide because I was feeling generous today. We told Tea and Yugi that we would catch up with them at the Game Shop later, and sat down on the steps still talking about automobiles until a cold voice interrupted us.

"Well, what are two losers doing talking to the new girl at school?"

We turned around to see none other than Seto Kaiba standing there.

Seto' POV

I had walked out of the school after talking to the math teacher all last period about tonight's homework.  I didn't need any help on it, but it was an excuse not to see the new girl.  I looked out across the ground and saw the most peculiar sight.  The mutt and his liter mate were talking to Marshal alone.  Even though I had been avoiding her all day this was one thing that just wouldn't slide.  I snuck up behind them hoping that they were too busy to notice me, which they were.

"Well, what are two losers doing talking to the new girl at school?" I asked.

They turned around, and the looks on their faces were two extremes.  Marshal looked quite shocked, while the other two looked unsurprised and pissed off as hell.

"Come on, Kaiba, leave us alone.  We ignored yah completely today," the mutt said.

"Yes, but you've ruined my day by existing, mutt.  So therefore you are annoying me."

"Leave us alone, Kaiba.  Don't you have a company to run?"

"I need a temporary distraction.  Mutt, contrary to what you think, I doubt that Marshal will even consider you for a date.  Why don't you just go back to paying sluts to sleep with you and save yourself the disappointment, or did you run out of sluts and the ones you did fuck refuse to come back for any more?"

"Why you bastard!"

I knew I pushed him too far, but if he was going to fight me I might as well knock him around pretty good.  He stood up and threw a misaimed punch at my face, which I caught in mid-air and slammed my knee into his groin causing him to double over.  It took a minute for him to regain his composure and attack me again. I blocked all of his attacks and slammed my knee into the same area as last time and accompanied it with a blow to stomach.  This time he fell down and didn't show any signs of getting back up.  I smirked, satisfied with what I'd done.  I turned to leave when a voice called from behind me, "Do you always run away after your fights?"

The words run away triggered emotions inside of me that I could not control.  I spun around to face the girl that was standing in front of me.  Her were flaming with unbridled hatred.  I gave her a cold stare before I spoke.

"Do I look like I'm running away?"

She smiled cruelly.  "You're not giving anyone else a chance to avenge him."

I laughed my cold laugh, allowing it to fill the air.  "You couldn't take me with every gun in the world."

"Let's see, shall we," she said before coming at me with her fists raised.

She didn't get a good shot I before I caught her jaw sending her to the floor.  Taylor and a newly recovered Wheeler rushed to her side.  She waved them off, and stood up on her own.  Blood was trickling from her mouth.  In an instant all I saw was the image of a young girl her clothes tattered and blood seeping from numerous wounds.  Her eyes were forlorn as I approached her trembling form.  All this because she was not a virgin.  I tearing sensation came from within me, and the world that I was presently in materialized around me.  I turned and left before any more horrors escaped from the dead.

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DT: HOLY SHIT!  That was a long chapter.

Tornado: You said that the last one was too short so I gave you long.

DT: Does it hold the readers attention though?

Tornado: *ignores the question* The point my dear yami?

DT: Huh?

Tornado: Last chapter you asked if there was a point to this story.  What do you think now?

DT: It confused me.

Tornado: How?

DT: The images?

Tornado: That will come in later chapters.

DT: You know if it comes too much later the readers may not stay interested, and that means…

Tornado: No reviews!  Okay, I know this doesn't seem like much of a story, but please be patient.  The plot will come soon enough.

DT: This gets her every time.

Tornado: Well, DT, if there are no reviewers, there can be no fic that suits the readers because there is only the author's idea, and if you want that than go read a book.

DT: Hikari, seek help.

Tornado: Oh, and what did you think of Seto's little daydream?  That will come into play later.  Please R&R.          


	3. Distractions and Frustration

Tornado: Hi people.  I didn't get any reviews, which is still understandable because the story seems to have no plot, but this chapter should help explain things.

DT: Is this going to be another long ass chapter where you have to explain what the two main characters are doing every second of the day?

Tornado: DT, the fic is focused around Kaiba and Sclera, and both of their views are important.

DT: If the girl knew Kaiba and the others, why didn't she come straight out and talk to them?

Tornado: Read this chapter and you'll find out.

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Sclera's POV

I watched as he walked away, stunned at the fact that he had practically fled from the scene.  No one could blame him for punching me because I was the one that came at him.  One thing struck me as odd though.  When I was lifting myself from the ground his eyes didn't seem to be there.  It was as if that punch had triggered emotions that he had not felt in ages.  I'm no longer in a position to guess at him anymore; I don't know him.

"Sclera, are you 'ight?" Joey asked me.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Can you believe Kaiba?  I mean he just decked yah out right here in front of the school."

"Joey, I was the one that came at him, he was just defending himself.  Look can we get going I don't want to be here any longer than I have to."

"Yeah, come on the Game Shop's this way."

We walked down the street in complete silence.  Joey kept glancing at me to check if I was still standing.  I refused to meet his eyes.  Something inside of me felt weak and unprotected.  It was that feeling that I hated the most.  The feeling of helplessness.  I know they meant well when they came to assist me to my feet, but in my world if you can't do it yourself don't do it at all.  I fight for myself, and if I can't get up after I fall, than I don't deserve to get up at all.   The streets taught me that.  It's an unforgiving life in a ruthless world where there are no allies to assist you in your battles.  Even your friends can be your enemies in this world.  Hell, you can be your own worst enemy.  That's life and I've learned to deal with it. 

"This is it," Tristan said as we approached an orange and green building.

"Hey, Gramps, Yugi, Tea, we're here!" Joey called as we entered the building.

The place hadn't change since I had last been in it.  Duel Monsters still lined both walls and the glass counter/display case was filled with them.  The tile floor smelled of bleach and was buffed into a gleam.  The stairwell into the apartment section of the place was spic and span.  I shuddered to think of what the upstairs looked like. 

"Hey, guys.  What took you?" Tea asked coming down the steps.

"We had a little run-in with Kaiba that we had to take care of," Joey informed her.

"You had to start and Sclera had to take care of," Tristan chimed.

"I didn't even fair to well in that one," I said as I put my arms on the counter.

"Sclera, what happened to your lip?" a small voice asked from behind the counter.

"Yugi. I think we need to get you stilts or some platform shoes," I told him.

"Well, it's not exactly my fault that my entire family has short genes," he replied coming around the counter.

"I never said that it was your fault I was simply making a statement, but anyway, my lip.  We had a small run-in with Mr. Big-shot billionaire, and two men ended getting knocked down as a result of it."

"Kaiba doesn't like to get pushed around."

"Or lose.  That guy values winning above everything else," Joey added.

"Not everything," Yugi objected.  "Mokuba is more important to him than anything else.  Duelist Kingdom proved that."

"Wait, what happened at Duelist Kingdom?" I asked suddenly very curious.

"Weren't yah there for that?  I mean, being fourth in the world 'n all, I thought that you'd a been there."

"I had some business that I had to take care of, and I didn't get invited to Battle City."

"Well, if the Duelist Kingdom story is going to make any sense, I think that we need to start at the beginning," Yugi said before diving into the chain of events that had occurred.

I listened in silence, staring at the petite boy's face, capturing every word and analyzing it thoroughly.  Even after the boy was done and I thought about all of the events, my mind was swirling in confusion.  Seto had flown to some mysterious island, dueled Yugi a second time, stood on a ledge threatening to "fall" off to win the duel, and proceeded to duel the creator of Duel Monsters in an unfair match all just to save his younger brother.  It was all so amazing, yet none of it seemed to surprise me.  

The thing that caught my attention the most was the fact that he had stood on a ledge just to win a duel.  Seto never believed in using underhanded tactics to get what anything.  "If you want it, you have got to work for it", that was his favorite saying when we were children.  He never took hand outs for anything.  Christmas was his least favorite time of the year because he received presents that he didn't work for.  

As I compared his childhood experiences to the ones at Duelist Kingdom, something was missing: the fact that his brother was never in jeopardy.  That alone was enough to make Seto lose all sense of morality, and go out on a limb.  There was one thing about Seto Kaiba that only Yugi seemed to get; he placed his family above all else.  Even if the only family that he had left was his younger sibling it was still his family.  His friends were also his family, but since I take it that he never made any friends after I left and is not in contact with his old gang from Fox Run that his loyalty now belongs solely to Mokuba.  It was a shame that a great guy like him had to be tainted by the worst of them.  Isn't it ironic that the strongest souls are tested harsher than the weaker ones?  Isn't it ironic?

Seto's POV

I hurried to the car where the driver was waiting.  I needed something.  Anything.  Any distraction that I could find.  Anything to take my mind away from the horrifying images that were seeping up from the grave.  Kaiba Corps was my best option, for I had I stack of work that needed to be done by tonight. I snapped at the driver to pick Mokuba up from school, and get me to Kaiba Corp as fast as humanly possible.  During the ride I tried to do my math problems again, which thankfully worked, for a short while.

My mind was beginning to drift when Mokuba popped into the car. He greeted me with a big grin planted on his face.  I couldn't help but smile back.  My concentration was rerouted much to my pleasure for the rest of the ride to Kaiba Corp, where I buried myself in work.

I didn't know how long I had been working, but when I finished it was black, and the lights of the city were all lit. I got up from my chair and stood at the window looking out across the skyline.  It was so beautiful.  It was the only beauty that could appreciate any more.  Art bored me, technology could not be considered artwork, and despite what some people may think food cannot be made beautiful.  Women, on the other hand, could be lovely, but they ruin themselves with the glitter and slutty clothing.   That's why I don't have a girlfriend because all of the teen-agers these days have no sense of style, and all the girls are too feminine.  That's right I said too feminine, so sue me.

I don't like girls that worry twenty-four hours a day about how they look; I don't even care how pretty they are, just as long as I don't have to worry about any infidelity on their part.  I also need a girl that can accept me for who I am, and not expect me to hand them everything in a nice package.  I want someone who gives a little to make up for what they take.  This is why I don't have a girlfriend. I'm too damn picky about their personality.  Hell, I'd have better luck if I said I wanted a 5'6" Caucasian blonde that weighed 135 lbs with a bra size of 32b.  There has to be at least four of those in my morning classes alone.  These days it's all about the looks and the money, both of which I have.

I went back to my desk, and glanced around my office.  It was professional enough with the white wall, the cherry floors and desk, and the black leather sofa and chairs.   My gaze rested on the sleeping form of my younger brother.  He was lying on the sofa with his eyes closed, resting his tired body from his day.  A smile crept upon my face as I watched him doze.  He tried so hard to stay alert until I finished my work, but never succeeded.  His lay forgotten on the floor, and I walked over and picked it up.  Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.  It didn't surprise me that he was reading a Fantasy book.  Mokuba had always been fascinated by the supernatural.  He always said that he wanted to be a writer, and with his over-active imagination he could be a pretty damn good one.  He had so many ambitions and the will power to accomplish them.

"Mokuba," I whispered shaking him slightly.

"Hm. What is big brother?" the small boy said sleepily.

"Time to go home, kid."

"Oh, okay."

He rolled off the couch, and stood up only to lose his balance and fall backward.  I caught him before he hit anything.

"On second thought, why don't I just carry you down."

"You don't have to, I'm fine," he managed out before he yawned.

"With my luck you'll fall down the steps.  That wasn't a question either."

"I know, but I thought it deserved a statement."

"You think everything deserves a statement.  Come here."

I bent down so the boy could get on my back.  He hesitated, but soon latched his small arms around my neck before hoisting the rest of his body into position.  I elevated myself into a standing posture.

"You okay, little brother?"

"I'm fine, Seto."

I grabbed my briefcase and his backpack before striding to the door.  I opened it, half-expecting an employee to be waiting to tell me that something went wrong, but it was dark and quiet. If only every night were this quiet. I started toward the elevator my eyes flickering gently from one side of the hallway to the other as if checking for a hidden attacker to jump out at me, but there was nothing just the eerie silence.

Everything after that happen after that was mechanical because before I knew it, I was stepping through the front door of the mansion.  Mokuba was walking beside me as I ascended through the stairwell, and my feet automatically led me to Mokuba's room.

"Coming to tuck me in, big brother?" the small boy inquired.

"What does it look like?" I answered good-naturedly as I opened the door to reveal his bedroom.

Even in the dark you could see the stormy walls and the navy carpet.  My brother sauntered into the closet to change into his pajamas as I sat on the bed, staring around at everything.  I leaned back onto the periwinkle bed.  It reminded me of Mokuba's eyes.  Hell, the walls reminded me of Mokuba's eyes.  I sat there enjoying the moment of silence when my sibling appeared in the doorway.   I rose, allowing him to crawl into the bed.  I looked at his pajamas, and almost laughed.  He was wearing a white sleeveless shirt and a pair of Blue-eyes White Dragon boxers.  The kid was so much like me that it was scary.

"Seto, can you get my dragon?"

"Yeah, kid." 

I walked over to the far corner where two dragon plushies stood.  One was a Blue-eyes White Dragon, the other was a dragon with blue eyes and a black body: the Blue-eyes Black Dragon.  My eyes lingered on the black dragon momentarily before picking up the white one.  I strode over to Mokuba's side, and held the dragon out for him.  He took it in his arms before giving me a hug.

"'Night, big brother."

"Good night, Mokuba."

I headed to the doorway, but before I left the room I glanced back.  There on the bed was Mokuba snuggling the white dragon that had once been next to the black one, but now it is with the boy and the black dragon stands alone in the corner.  /I wonder…/

Sclera's POV

I walked out of the game at 5:20, and walked a few blocks before I got too frustrated to continue walking.  I began to dig in my backpack for my cell phone, which took five minutes to find.  I withdrew the device revealing the black backing and the lightening bolt cover.  I pressed the power button and waited impatiently for I to fully boot up.  The moment my main screen came into view I was dialing a number that had long since been memorized by my fingertips.  The other line rang once, then twice, then a third time before he finally picked it up.

"Hello?" a slightly English accent asked.

"Henry, it's Sclera.  I need you to pick me up.  I thought that I could walk home, but I'm to frustrated to."

"Where are you?"

I gave him my address then managed to hang up the phone before the need to destroy something took control over my body. 

The entire time that I was in the Game Shop, I had to pretend like I didn't know anything about anybody because I was a new girl that had never before seen Domino city or any of its occupants up close and personal.  The reality of it was that I knew these people and they knew me.  I was getting tired of having to cover old tracks again because of who I was.

Henry shortly arrived with my silver Mercedes Benz.  I didn't bother to wait for him to get out and open my door; I just got in myself.  He drove off without asking where I wanted to go.  He knew that I wanted to go back to me haven in the sky where I could be unbothered by the entire city, and simply watch them as they went through their daily lives, untroubled by the past and just being themselves.

I never said a word to Henry for the ride back to the apartment building or in the elevator.  The doors opened to reveal a large balcony that wrapped around the entire floor.  I extracted a key from my pocket, and unlocked the door without a word.  The door swung open to expose a very large living room/entry way with black tile floors.  Dinner smelled delicious.  Henry had been sure to make shrimp Alfredo for my first day back at school.  

"So, was it as bad as you expected?" he asked.

"No, Henry, it was worse.  Much worse."

"Would you like to talk about it?"

I looked at him, hoping that my eyes would seem grateful instead of frustrated like I was on the inside.  

"After I change," I said as I got up and headed to my bedroom.

"Dinner should be done when you get out."

I closed the door to my room for privacy, and flicked the light switch. My walls were painted cobalt blue and my carpet was darkness.  I drew the curtains shut to balcony, and stripped off my uniform letting it fall gently to the floor.  I rummaged through my closet for a few moments before out a pair of black silk lounge pants and a black sleeveless. I exited the room as I heard the clang of plates being set upon the table.  Henry sat a pot of noodles on the table and motioned me to sit down.  I sat at the head of the table, and Henry sat at the foot.  The black glass top set off the silver legs and chairs.  For ten minutes we ate in complete silence, not even looking at each other.  For the first time since the meal had begun, I looked up from my food, out across the skyline.  My gaze rested on the towering form of Kaiba Corps.  It brought back so many memories.

"Oh, Henry, what have I done?" I asked in a pained voice.

He looked up from his food as well, but didn't say anything.

"Today I saw all of my old classmates and my best friend, but I couldn't say anything about it being great to see them again.  I couldn't even mention their names without them introducing themselves first.  Only one person recognized me today, and that kills me.  I just found out that my friend is a workaholic asshole, and I got into a fistfight with him.  Do you know what it feels like to have known someone all of your life and when you see them after a long period of time they don't even recognize you?" 

"Sclera, I don't know what it's like because I was never in your situation.  You haven't told me the whole reason that you left either.  All you said was that the past would haunt you forever.  What past, Sclera?"

"Henry, please don't ask me that question.  When I'm ready I'll tell you, if I'm ever ready to tell you."

"Why can't you say anything to your old friends?  They're your friends.  They'll understand why you ran away."

/That's just it though/ Ryou understands because I told him about what happened, but the others have no clue.  And Seto, I never want to show my weakness to him.  I just don't want to be the girl that ran away.

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Tornado: Do you get it now, DT?

DT: Yes, but what was the point of Kaiba's POV?

Tornado: can't tell you.  By the way I don't own anything except Sclera and the Blue-eyes Black Dragon.  I did get one review that didn't show up until I had finished the chapter.  Thanks Krazi for reviewing.

DT: You still didn't explain the visions.  

Tornado: There's only three chapters in the story will you chill out.

DT: What is the significance of Kaiba's POV?

Tornado: Don't worry about it. R&R.    


	4. Dreams

Tornado: It's me again.  Nobody reviewed last time, so we can just go right into the fic.

DT: What is it with our regular stories and not getting any reviews?

Tornado: Because it takes so long to get to the plot of the damned thing.

DT: Okay.  Tornado doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

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Seto's POV

The room was dark; the moon was its only source of light.  I crept to the heap of the girl that I had known my whole life.  My best friend lay there bruised and bleeding.  What had she done tonight?

"Blue-Eyes?  Blue-Eyes say something!" I cried, shacking her.

She stirred slightly, and made a small groan of pain.  I sat beside her, allowing my hand to stroke the girl gently.  It soon became a bloody mess, but I didn't care.  All I cared about was the girl that lay weakened by my side.

"Dragon?" a weak voice asked.

"What is it?" I asked, coming closer.

"Are okay?" she asked.

"Of course I'm okay," I snapped.  "What about you."

"Hurting, but it'll heal."

"Give me your hand.  I'll get you to your room."

"I can walk," she said proudly.

She attempted to stand, but fell back miserably.  She stood again, this time succeeding, and limped down the hallway.  Her blood trickled onto the marble floors as she walked, but the girl showed not a care.  We reached the room that was accommodating her for the night.  She fell onto the soft bed, and examined her wounds.  They were not as deep as some others that she had carried, but they were deep enough to cause slight concern.  I dashed into the adjoining bathroom to fetch the first aid kit, which had been double seized because of the amount of wounds that were inflicted on a daily basis.  I dropped the whole kit onto the bed before sitting to dress the gashes.  I applied alcohol, and wrapped her arms with gauze.  After I had finished both arms had a gauze cast that ran from her wrist to her shoulder.  Her legs also carried bandages from her ankles to her thighs.  It was gruesome, but the girl never uttered a cry of pain.  

"Get some rest. Tomorrow you need to convince everyone that you're completely normal"

"Is it just me, or are we constantly lying about our lives?"

"Do you want to tell everyone what is going on at this place?"

"Not particularly.  If anyone ever finds out about this, it'll be through deductive reasoning."

"Nobody's Sherlock Holmes enough to figure it out."

"We can dream, can't we."

The door burst open to expose a very pissed Takura Lireal.  The girl's brow furrowed as her eyes closed.  She prepared herself for the new wave of pain to override her senses.  Takura grabbed her collar, and drug her out of the room, not caring as her head hit the doorway.

"Let her go!" I called.

The man turned around, and stared at me like I had a second head. I knew that what was coming next was not good.

"You want me to let her go?  Please, obviously Gozaburo needs to beat you more often than he does.  You don't ever tell an adult what to do."

"You're just a child with a temper."

"Now you're going to get it.  I'm so glad that the two of you are such good friends," he said as he threw me back.

Me head hit the wall hard sending me to the floor.  I couldn't move my limbs.  All I could do was sit there numb, and watch the horrors begin.  The man ripped the clothing off of the small girl, and thrust himself inside of her.  I saw her clench her jaw to keep the pain from escaping through a scream.  He stopped a minute, but soon continued in harsher plunges.  With each shove the force increased.  The girl could no longer suppress her cries, but she never let a tear fall.  Once the man was done he rolled off, and turned to me.

"So, how did this happen?" he asked.

"How did what happen?" I answered.

"How is she not a virgin?" he persisted.

I smiled.  "I figured that once you started beating us, it was only a matter of time before the raping began.  So, I decided that I'd spare her some pain, and take it away myself before you got a chance to do it."

"You bastard!" he yelled before pouring a rain of punches into my stomach.

I doubled over.  The pain was unbearable.  I had told him the truth, and it was time to pay the piper.  It would be my fault that I suggested it.

"Leave him alone!" the girl cried from behind us.

The man turned around, facing the girl with furious eyes.  He was pissed, but that didn't stop the girl.

"I forced him to do it.  I knew that you would eventually rape me, and I didn't want a double dosage."

"Oh, in that case…" he said before slamming his knee into her gut.

The action was repeated several times, and then topped with a few punches to the same area. A whip appeared out of nowhere, cutting with a crack the girl's back.  The motion was soon back and forth; it was a never-ending cycle.  The man stopped a good ten minutes later, and admired his work.  I felt hatred rise inside of me giving me a temporary strength that left the moment I tried to stand.  The girl was gathering her scattered clothing, and dressing noiselessly.

When she was fully dressed, the man whipped her several more times, leaving her bloodied and tattered.  He walked to the door, and looked back at her one last time before saying, "Get those gashes taken care of.  I don't want anybody raising any question over this."  He left without another word.

The girl's clothes were tattered and blood was seeping from numerous wounds. Her eyes were forlorn as I approached her trembling form. All this because she was not a virgin. I sat down beside her, and let my hand rest on her shoulder.  This was the first time it had happened, but I knew it would not be the last.

I shot up in my bed covered in an icy sweat. An unknown substance was trickling down my cheeks.  I knew who that girl was.  It was only the girl whose face had haunted me over the past three years.  While she troubled my thoughts, she was also my savoir.  Many times when I had felt like there was no meaning to life, I thought of her face, and how she had told me never to give up.  I was instantly cured, and my suicidal thoughts were once again annihilated. 

/Blue-Eyes, where are you?  Are you alive?  Are you dead?  All these questions, and no answers./  

I took a shower hoping to clear my mind.  As I stood with the cold water washing over me, another girl came to mind.  This girl was much older than Blue-Eyes was the last time I saw her.  Sclera Marshal was nothing short of beautiful, perhaps as beautiful as Blue-Eyes had been.  I could not place my finger on why I was referring to my best friend in the past tense.  It was as if she had died, though in my heart I knew that she somehow had to be alive.  I thought back to when Sclera had walked in this morning.  That same feeling that I got whenever I saw Blue-Eyes came back to me, but I'd never know why. 

I went back to bed after my encounter with the past, but two images still loomed in my mind: Sclera and the Blue-eyes Black Dragon.

Sclera's POV

I went to bed right after dinner.  My mind was not ready to allow me resting time, but my body insisted.  The moment my eyes closed, I was whisked off into a place where I was free. This was something that I'd be sure not to forget in the near future.

I sat at the cherry table sipping a dark liquid.  I felt his hands touch my shoulder blades then slide southward.  Soon, they were in my pants, stroking the lowest part of my stomach.  I pushed my chair out, and stood to be brought into a crushing kiss.    I asked for permission to enter his mouth, which he willingly granted.  My tongue was exploring every square inch of his orifice.   He tasted like coffee.  His hands fastened around my rear, and he hoisted me off the ground.  I wrapped my legs around his narrow waist as he made his way to his bedroom.  Our kiss had not broken, and now his tongue was exploring my mouth.   He kicked the door shut, gently dropping me on the bed.  His hands quickly undid my shirt and pants, leaving me with the essentials.  I stripped him of his shirt and pants leaving him his boxers.  His hands ran my figure before he unclasped my bra.  He put his mouth on my breast, and ran his tongue around my nipple.  I gasped in pleasure as he repeated the action on my other breast.  He allowed his mouth to wander significantly southward, kissing my thigh before tearing my panties off.  He eased a finger inside of me, quickly finding my pleasure spot.  He ran his finger over it, and it sent waves of pleasure throughout my body.  I soon climaxed all over his hand. He licked my juices off before kissing me again.  Somehow I managed to flip myself on top of him, giving me a chance to play as well.  I left a trail of kisses down his chest and abs, and I allowed the bulge in his boxers to breathe the air.  I took his member in my mouth, and gently sucked on the tip, earning a moan from him as I ran my tongue the circumference of his shaft.  He bucked his hips, sending a good three of his eight inches into my mouth.  I continued to suck his tip until he released, giving me a mouthful of his fluid.  I swallowed, and licked my  lips to clear the remaining juice from my lips.  He brought me into another kiss, and got himself back on top.  He reached into the dresser beside the bed, and grabbing a condom before positioning himself between my legs.  He eased inside of me sending waves of pure ecstasy through my body.  His thrusts were slow and sensual.  It frustrated me that he was going so slowly.  Waves of pleasure pulsed through my body as he picked up the pace.  His plunges became stronger, but not to the point that it was unbearable.  I climaxed a second before he did, and he removed himself before collapsing beside me.  He brought me up to his chest, kissing my head as I drifted off to sleep.  

"Good night, Sclera," he whispered in my ear.

"Good night, Seto," I answered drowsily.

 My eyes shot open at the last word, and I sat up in bed.  My hand was between my legs, and was coated with my juices.  I climbed out of bed, and sprinted to the shower.  The iced water rained over my head as I thought more about my dream.  /Why had I been in bed with Seto?  He's my best friend, and right now he doesn't even recognize me./  

I turned off the shower, and glanced at the clock.  Four A.M.  Henry would be much less than thrilled to be awoken at this time.  I strolled out to the kitchen to find Henry standing in front of the fridge in his bathrobe.

"What are you doing up?" I asked curiously.

"I was about to ask you the same question. What's wrong?"

"I had an interesting dream."

"Would you like to explain it to me?  I have cookies and milk."

I laughed.  I had always had a small weakness for cookies and milk.  It must have came from all of those years that I made Mokuba spill his problems to me over them.

"Are they chocolate chip?" I asked.

"Soft and chewy."

"2% milk?"

"Chocolate."

I smiled, and flopped into one of the chairs as he sat a large plate and two glasses in front of me.  He sat on my right side as I dipped a cookie into my milk.

"So what was this dream about?" he asked.

"Me having sex."

"That's understandable; you're a teenage girl with raging hormones."

"With my best friend."

"That's unusual"

"Tell me about it."

"It was just a dream."

"That masturbated with out my knowledge."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I must have been masturbating while I was dreaming.  That's the only thing I can figure out."

"Interesting."

"Henry, what the hell am I going to do?"

"I'm not quite sure.  Was it just intercourse?"

"No, Henry.  I started out at a table sipping coffee, and ended up in his bed.  Foreplay and everything."

"Maybe you're attracted to him."

"What would cause me to have a dream that I was getting fucked by him though?"

"I don't know, Sclera.  All I'm going to say is that it was probably your hormones seizing an opportunity to release your frustration.  In the three years I've known you, I don't think that you've slept with one guy, but how that should affect you I have no clue."

I sat there debating with  myself.  I didn't know if I should tell him or not.  There was nothing I could do about what happened, it's over now.  

"Henry," I began quietly.  "My parents were both dead by the time I turned ten.  My best friend lost his father the same day I lost mine.  He was going to be sent away to an orphanage.  My twin brother looked too much like my parents, so I ran away.  I landed in an orphanage myself.  I was there for less than two months when Takura Lireal adopted me.  He was the vice president of Kaiba Corps.

"About three months later, his boss Gozaburo Kaiba, adopted two boys of his own, and I was reunited with my best friend.  Everything was fine for a month, but then they decided that we needed to be trained. Basically emotionally killed so that we were cold, heartless people.  They beat us.

"One day Seto came to me, and told me that they may rape us.  I panicked because I had heard that your first time was always the most painful, and if you add the pain of being raped on top of that it's unbearable.  Seto knew what I was thinking, and he offered to do it before they got a chance. I accepted. 

"The first time Takura raped me was worse than I'd ever expected.  I was glad that I had taken Seto's offer because I would have been extremely suicidal afterward. When Takura found out that I wasn't innocent he turned to Seto who naturally took the blame for it.  I figured, hell I was already bleeding from being beaten before the rape that I might as well take the blame, so I did.  That was the first time that I had severe body injury, but they refused to take me to the hospital.  I was left with a first aid kit, and Seto to fix me.  Luckily, I didn't get an infection, but that was just the beginning of it.

"Over the next year, I was placed in the hospital eight times.  I had two comas, and severe bodily injury eighteen times.  I had been raped unaccountably, sometimes by two people, and I didn't trust anyone except Seto and his brother, Mokuba.

"Two years after Seto and I met again, we couldn't take it any longer.  One day I broke, and accidentally slit Takura's throat as he rushed at me the one day.  I didn't know what happened at first then the reality hit me.  I called an ambulance, and told them to send the police.  I knew he was dead, nobody had to tell me that.  I was lucky enough to have been in the line of a security camera.  It was ruled as self-defense.

"Two weeks earlier Gozaburo had died because he jumped out of his office window.  I think it was Seto, but I have no evidence and even if I did I wouldn't turn him in.  He offered to make me the vice president of Kaiba Corps, but I refused and ran away.  That's when Mr. and Mrs. Marshal took me in.  Ever since I haven't been in contact with anybody from my past."

Henry examined my face as I stared at the tabletop, refusing to meet his gaze.  I didn't know what to expect him to say.  It was hard news to take, and there was only  one person  in the world that could relate to my experience.

"I'm not going to bullshit you by saying I understand what you went through because I don't, but I think that you need to talk to somebody."

"I can't relate to anybody except Seto, and how do I talk to him without having him figure it out?"

"You can't.  that's what I'm saying.  You come out of your shell, and tell him who you are."

"I can't do that!"

"Why not?"

"Because I always had to act strong around him so I could feel like I was at least half of what he was.  He was always the stronger one of us.  He pulled me through everything, not the other way around.  We worked hard to eliminate our weaknesses."

"You don't want to tell him that you ran away from him, do you?"

"I didn't run away from him!  I don't know what you're talking about."

"You ran away because you were afraid that things would come back to haunt you, and you would break down.  So, you ran away in case you did break, he wouldn't be there to see it."

I sat there with my mouth half open.  Henry was right, and I knew it.  I kept convincing myself that I wouldn't have lasted if I had stayed there, but in reality I was better off.  There I had somebody that I could relate.  I had been stupid to run from him.  I knew he would get along without me, hell by now he probably doesn't even remember that girl that he saved.  Even if he did remember me, I would probably be the girl he had to pull along.  My heart sunk the more I thought about it.  I had been expecting Seto to recognize me the minute he saw me, but what if he had forgotten me.  Tears came to my eyes.  I hadn't cried since my father died five years ago, but the thought of Seto forgetting me deeply wounded my heart.  Henry stared at me in sympathy and amazement.

"Henry, can I have a beer?"

"Just one."

"Thanks," I said as he handed a cold one to me.

I popped the lid, and took a long drag from it.  It was horrible, but I continued to drink it anyway.  I finished it at five thirty.  By six thirty there would be no trace of the alcohol, which left me plenty of time to get ready for school.

I went into the bedroom, and began to ready myself for the new day.  I put my hair into a bun, leaving two front strands hang loosely around my face.  I grabbed my colored hair gel, and applied the blue coloring to them.  I shadowed and lined my eyes in navy blue, and painted my lips a luxurious crimson.  I stared in the mirror for a half an hour, studying my reflection.  /He has to notice this./

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Tornado: We know why she ran away, but now what's she going to do?

DT: You're the authoress, you tell me.

Tornado: You'll just have to wait DT.

DT: Why?  You can't hide your thoughts from me!  I'm your yami!

Tornado: DT just because you're my yami doesn't mean you can hear all of my thoughts.

DT: What is it with you and dreams?

Tornado: I have an uncanny talent for making them work into things.  R&R!!!!     


	5. The Fight

Tornado: Hi people.  I actually got 1 review last chapter!  Thanks Midori iro for reviewing.

DT: The pace is going to pick up on the story now, just let us get through the second day of school.

Tornado: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh by the way.

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Sclera's POV

I stepped out of my Mercedes, and allowed my feet to hit the school parking lot with a soft thud.  I gently hoisted the rest of my body from the car, waving good-bye to Henry before he drove off.  Joey and Yugi came running up the street to reach me. They were both panting heavily when they stopped, causing me to giggle lightly.

"Who dropped yah off, Sclera?" Joey asked.

"That was Henry, my butler/chef/chauffer."

"Yah must be rich."

"Not excessively.  I'm just wealthy."

"We'd better get to class before the bell rings," Yugi said anxiously.

"Yugi, we have a whole ten minutes before school starts, will you relax?" I asked the boy.

"It's just that Joey isn't on great terms with the teacher, and I don't want him getting into trouble."

"Yuge!  She don' need ta know dat!"

"It's all right.  So what, a teacher doesn't like you, big deal."

"Yeah, but still."

"Let's get inside before too many guys check me out."

We raced up the stone steps, and strolled down the passages of the prison.  We entered thee room to find Seto Kaiba typing away on his laptop.  He didn't even notice that we had entered the room, or so it seemed.

"Hey, Kaiba, why do yah always have ta have your laptop wherever yah go?  Does it tell yah ta breath in, and breath out or somtin'?" Joey asked.

"Actually, mutt, it plays music so I can attempt to ignore you, but with your shrill yapping you drown it all out."

"Classical music don' cover much noise." 

"No," Kaiba said removing the headphones that he had been wearing.  "But Limp Bizkit does."

Joey burst out laughing.  Yugi didn't seem surprised, and I was slightly amused.  It wasn't totally outrageous that Seto would listen to hard rock and cursing.  Joey on the other hand, was in hysterics over the fact that Seto Kaiba might actually listen to good music.

"Yeah right, Kaiba.  Yah wouldn' listen to that stuff if your life depended on it!"

Seto simply handed Joey the headphones, and continued typing on his laptop.  Joey scoffed, but placed the headphones on his head.  His face fell after a few moments.  I turned to Seto with the fiercest eyes I could muster, but I felt my glare falter the moment I glimpsed his young face.  He turned from his computer screen, and stared straight into my eyes. 

Seto's POV

I stared into her sapphire orbs with my most hateful glare.  It never wavered as I looked into her eyes.  No matter how beautiful she was, my glare would not weaken if I willed it not to.  She didn't flinch at the intensity of the moment.  Her eyes took on a new form.  At first they had been cold but kind, now they were fashioned into a turbulent gaze of her own.  There were many mystical qualities that flittered in and out of view.  I never allowed myself to back down from the silent challenge that her eyes proposed.  I could not refrain from taking in her beauty.  There was something about the aura that she created that was unlike that of the others.  Her beauty radiated free and limitless, completely untamable.  It was so different from the repeated splendor of standard girls or the saintly air of the angelicas; this was demonic and uncontrolled.

I felt myself become awed at the display of power before me.  It was surging through my veins as my blood, but what it exactly was I knew nothing of.  This girl, whatever her past may be, caused every feeling that I encountered in my many years with Blue-Eyes, sending them crashing into my system all at once.  

"What do you want?" I snapped.

"Nothing.  You were the one that was staring at me," she shot back.

"I was returning your glare."

"Why the interest?"

"You tell me."

She could not retort.  Either I had caught her, she had caught me, or both.  Something inside of me hoped that I had caught her, not to throw into her face, but for other reasons.  

Joey and Yugi had not said a word since our gaze had met.  More students filed in, and the duo left me sitting with Marshal to my right.  We never said a word to each other as the rest of the student body took their seats.  The bell rang five minutes later, allowing me to escape from the hell the imprisoned me.  I strode down the hall, noticing that Marshal was behind me.

"What do you want?" I asked annoyed as I spun to face the girl.

She glared back as though I'd struck a deep nerve that she valued before snapping, "I'm going to my next class.  What does it look like I'm doing?"

"Following me."

"Why the fucking hell would I do that?"

"Because I'm rich and seemingly good looking since all of the girl drool over me."

"Not all of the girls," she said before commencing her strides once more.  "I think I'm the only one that doesn't."

"You and Gardner," I replied, also walking. 

"Even Tea drools."

"What?"

"Yes, I noticed that yesterday at lunch when you walked in.  She tuned out of the conversation, and stared in your direction.  She did the same thing when you left."

"How would you know when I entered or exited the cafeteria?"

"My curiosity was aroused when she tuned out a second time, so I too stared where she was staring."

"Why aren't you drooling or flirting with me right now?"

"Because you are an asshole."

"If this is about yesterday, you attacked me first."

"I'll give you the fact that you have excellent reflexes, but this is more towards your behavior when you interact with Joey."

"The mutt brings it upon himself."

"How does he do that?"

"He's the biggest idiot on the face of the earth.  Him and his litter mate."

"They happen to be nice, believe it or not.  One other thing, if you're so 'rich and seemingly good looking' why don't you have a girl friend?"

"Because most of the girls just take and never give."

"So you basically want a you-give-nothing-but-take-all-relationship?"

I stopped, grabbing her arm to stop her as well.  She made no move to remove my grip, but instead stared into my depths.  I soon released her arm, and strode into my classroom, which she followed.  The teacher stopped her a moment, and ordered her a place to sit, which was conveniently right next to me.  The girl was so thrilled to have that particular seat that she hissed at me the moment she took her seat.  I was inwardly full of anxiousness and dread.  

"Today," the teacher started.  "We will be beginning a project that counts as forty percent of your grade.  This will be done in partners.  A Home Economics class is required to give you a taste of how to manage your home and work life.  You will be required to seek a profession adding all of the costs into your life.  You will have to research the pay, amount of time it takes to reach that certain rank, and also the cost of education.  This will have to be done for your spouse as well."

"Spouse?" a muscular blonde asked.

"Yes, Keith, spouse, your partner.  There will hopefully be a male and female in each group.  I think that there is one group that is not coed.  Your whole project is explained in this packet," he continued holding up a very, very thick stack of papers. "Now, for the groups…"

He paired people up for several minutes.  I sat there hoping that I could be paired with a guy, not because I'm bi, but because there are way too many girls that would drool over me in this class.  /All except Sclera Marshal…/

"Sclera Marshal," the teacher said, jerking my attention back to reality, same with the majority of the male population of the class.  "You will be paired with Bandit Keith."

"Yes!"

"Wait, I'm sorry I read the wrong one.  Bandit Keith will be paired with Katrina Martin, and Sclera Marshal will be paired with Seto Kaiba," the teacher corrected.

There were several groans from the class, both male and female.  I sat slightly stunned, glancing over at Sclera to see her in the same state.  She met my gaze with a slightly open mouth, and shrugged, signaling that it would make no difference in her work.  I shot a look at Keith who looked like he had been denied of something he should have been given.  I inwardly sighed because I knew that Keith would have pestered her to no end with his useless flirting.  Now the other problem surfaced, I was going to have to work on a Home Economics project that required you to have a "spouse" with an attractive woman.  

The teacher finished the list of partners quickly, and dismissed us into our groups.  We both turned to each other, not quite sure of what to say.

"This is stupid," I said as I examined the packet that had been given to me by the teacher just seconds earlier.

"Tell me about it.  At least there's one good thing about it."

"What's that?"

"I'm paired with someone I feel comfortable with."

I dropped my stack of papers, and stared at her in disbelief.  She looked remorseful about her comment, but made no large deal about it.            

"Why are you comfortable with me?"

"In the day that I have been here, you are the only male that I have met, besides Yugi, that has not in any way tried to impress me."

"What makes you so sure that the fight yesterday wasn't to impress you?"

"Because it seemed like it happened all too many times before."

"And it has.  For the record, I'm glad that I'm not paired with some erotic bimbo that's going try to fulfill her fantasias."

"How do you know that the fight yesterday wasn't to impress you?"

I leaned close to her face, so our noses were but an inch apart.  She smelled of vanilla.  I smiled a true smile that I only grace Mokuba with before I said in a flirtatious voice, "I don't mind."

Sclera's POV

It was different to see Seto's flirtatious side.  I was amazed at how it seemed to gush from his lips.   I felt myself become pulled into his realm, which was something that I didn't care about.  Old feelings entombed within the nights of pain and blood were resurrected from the grave.   It pulsed through my system, creating an overdose of emotion, and forming an addiction.  He was romancing me into a deadly game of lovers.  This was a risk that could save me or bury me.

"Look, if we don't get started soon, we could really be behind on the project," I informed him.

"I know.  Okay let's focus on the professions.  What field do you have in mind?"

"Science.  Forensic science."

"Damn.  Lots of education and time."

"Yeah, well, it beats the routine of desk work."

"Touché.  What do I want to be?  Oh, I know, how about CEO of Kaiba Corps."

"Oh my.  That requires a whole fifteen minutes of driving time, and a genius brain."

"Gee, I think I have those."

"Mr. Kaiba, I hate to burst your bubble, but you will be required to select another profession," the teacher said from behind him.

"But Mr. Satchel, I don't have another field I'm interested in."

"Well, think of one," Mr. Satchel said before gliding off.

"But. Oh what's the use?"

"You could be a professional duelist," I suggested.

"Is there such a thing as that?"

"Yeah.  Who do I know that is a duelist?  Well, most duelists now are kids, but Pegasus would be considered a professional duelist, even though he cheats and has a company." 

"I don't think I want to take after Pegasus.  All right, I'll be video game designer."

"Aren't you already?"

"What do you mean?"

"Your virtual reality world."

"You heard about that?"

"Everybody heard about that, but not how you got trapped in it.  Nobody even knows that you were at Duelist Kingdom.  I heard all of this from Yugi and Joey, by the way."

"Glad they filled you in.  Why though?"

"They mentioned Duelist Kingdom, and I asked about it."

"Why the interest?"

"Don't worry about it.  Why are you opening up?"

"What do you mean 'opening up'?"

"Why aren't you being an asshole?"

"My reasons are none of your concern, so if we could get back to the project, more would get done," he snapped.

"Much better.  Now, you research your thing I'll research mine," I snapped back, pulling out a black and blue laptop, and connecting to the Internet.

He pulled out a blue and sliver laptop, and did the same.  I did not know if he had suddenly caught himself off guard or if he was just reacting to what I had said.  We worked in silence for the rest of the period not speaking to the other at all.  There was definitely tension between us.  The bell rang, and he scampered out of class before I could say anything to him.  I gently slid my laptop into its case before starting to my next class.  The rest of the morning came without any more conflicts with Mr. Big-Shot-Asshole.  I made a resolve to ask him at lunch when we could do our project.

Seto's POV

I had caught myself off guard in class.  I knew my sudden nature pushed her further away from me, but I had to react.  Hopefully, this project would help me get closer to her rather than make her despise me like the others.  Deep within myself I knew why I pushed people away, especially girls.  I simply brushed the event off of my mind, and buried myself in a book for my other classes, minus math.  

Lunch came sooner than I had expected, but it was no matter to me.  I went to my same shadowy corner, and sat down ignoring most of the world.  I had one eye trained on my book, while other was focused on a girl that had just entered the room with four other students.  The girl's light brown hair was in a bun, leaving two blue strands to frame her oval face.  Her cerulean eyes were blended with her navy eye shadow and liner, and her bloody lips gleamed and sparkled.  I couldn't quite understand why I had severely shoved her in the opposite direction when she was simply making a conversation.  Something inside of me screamed betrayal when I looked at girls or even talked to one.  I couldn't let go of her.  

I observed the way the beauty took her long strides, dropping her shoulders slightly as she did so.  Her eyes were a glittering mass as she chatted with her other group members.  Her laugh rang through the cafeteria in a loud manner, but no one had seemed to notice.  They took their seats giving her a very clear view of me.  I quickly averted my eyes back to my book, hoping that there had been no damage, but the girl soon rose from her seat, with many protests from her lunch mates, and strode purposefully over to my table.  The chatter of the cafeteria immediately ceased, and several guys rose as if to defend her if she fell.  Many girls were also on their feet, but they were going to pry the approaching girl from me.  All eyes were upon us, and I twitched at the attention. 

Sclera's POV

I met Joey and the gang outside of the cafeteria.  They arrived in different groups.  Joey and Tristan were the first to arrive shortly followed by Tea and Yugi.  We strode into the dining area, deep in our conversation about Kaiba.  

"I can' believe that jerk listens ta punk music like Limp Bizkit.  It's almost a crime for a guy like him ta listen ta good music.  Give da band a bad name," Joey said.

"Joey, it's a free country, he can listen to what ever he wants," Tea replied.

"I know, Tea, but it's an insult ta da band," Joey informed as he paid for his lunch.

"Can you guys imagine Kaiba as a punk?" I asked.

"What would he wear?" Tea asked.

"I see him in black baggy pants, a blue muscle shirt, studded leather bracelets and choker, and his hair hi-lighted black," I replied.

"He'd look like nobody drug dealer," Tristan commented.

"He already has da nobody part down, now for da crack, which he probably don' is illegal."

I laughed at their speculations.  Sure Seto was rich, but he knew the streets just as well.  In Fox Run, there was a city near by, and Seto, our gang, and I went to school there and walked home after school.  The things that we saw on our way home were enough to scar us for life.  On top of that we hung out in the alleyways during the weekends as well.

I took my seat, realizing that I had a clear view of Kaiba.  He was reading his book, ignoring the scene around him.  I stared at him for several moments before I made my decision.

"I'll be right back," I told the group as I rose from the table.

Joey and Tristan made several attempts to call me back, but I was set in my resolve.  I took long strides to the table Kaiba occupied, and the distance seemed to grow instead of shrink.  The usual chatter of the cafeteria abruptly halted, and many students rose from their seats, including Tristan, Joey, and Tea.  My eyes were set purposefully on my target, who seemed completely oblivious to the silence around.  I soon reached the table, and stood silently, waiting for his voice to commence.

"What do you want?" he shot.

"Can I sit?" I asked.

"No," he said, and I sat down beside him.

He glared at me with turmoil eyes.  "I thought I told you that you could not sit here."

"Well, it's a free country so stick it up your ass," I shot, earning several gasps from the onlookers.

"You're not afraid of me are you?"

"Why should I be?  All you are is a cold, heartless, asshole whose bark is bigger than his bite."

"I thought you and the mutt were friends?"

"He's not an asshole.  I came to talk to you about something."

"Well, it's going to have to wait because I'm leaving," he said, getting up from the table and heading to the door.

I wasn't about to give up that easily.  I sprinted from my chair, allowing it to topple over as I pursued the teenager.  I grabbed his arm before he could escape, facing him with flamed eyes.

"You think that this is all about you, well here's a reality check.  There are other people in this world who have worse things that have happened to them than you."

"You don't know me."

"You're right.  I don't know you, and I doubt if anyone including your brother knows you."

He shoved me backwards into Joey, who had crept up behind me without my knowledge.  

"Stick with your liter mates, bitch," he said before leaving.

I surged against Joey's grip, but he held me into place.  Hatred pulsed through my veins, causing me to continue my struggle against the blonde's hold.  

"He ain' worth it, Sclera.  Just let him go," Joey soothed.

"He'll pay for what he said.  Mark my words," I vowed.

"Come on.  Let's finish eatin'"

My hands shook as I ate.  I could not believe that Seto had said those things to me.  Not only had it wounded my pride, but it had scarred any hope I had of making him remember me.  I was scorched inside.  Ryou would definitely be hearing about this.

We left right after lunch, and I ran to math, taking a seat in the back as I had done the day before.  Ryou appeared at my side within seconds of my seating.  He was concerned as he saw the look upon my face.  Pure disgust was all it said.  He was about to ask what happened when a bleach blonde girl with emerald eyes approached us.

"You might want to think twice before you mess with the Great Seto Kaiba again.  He won't reduce himself to dating the puppy's bitch," she taunted.

In a flash my chair flew from beneath me, and my fist collided with a book that Ryou had held in front of the girl's face.  His hands jerked back a good amount, hitting the girl rather hard.  I felt out of control.  Hell, I was out of control.  The demon inside fought to release itself upon the threat.  The class stared at me, wide-eyed in fear.  Ryou was calm, for he had seen this happen to many times before. 

"You dip shit, you hit me!" the girl screamed at Ryou.

"You would have flown back a couple feet if hadn't placed that book in front of your face," I snapped.

"You're all bark and no bite."

"You want to try me on?"

Just then, the teacher strode into class with none other than Seto Kaiba and my English teacher, Mr. Doctrine.  The trio looked onto the scene with moderate confusion.  Kaiba saw the blonde, and sighed frustrated.  Both teachers questioned with their eyes about the scene the beheld them, but he didn't hesitate as he spoke.

"Alicia, you may want to back down.  It takes more than a cat to fight a dog," he said.

The blonde turned away, taking her seat in the front of the class.  Ryou and I were the only ones standing, but soon sat down as I glared daggers at Seto's head.  He had returned to conversing with the teachers, no doubt telling them that I was trouble.  He then left without a second glance at me, followed by Doctrine.  Ms. Punjab stared at me in a mixture of amazement and confusion.  I simply stared back with no emotion in my eyes.

"May I ask what happened to your face, Alicia?" the teacher asked.

"Certainly. I told Marshal that she might want to stay away from Kaiba, and she just up and punched me," the girl replied smoothly.

"That's not true!" both Ryou and I shouted.

"What happened then?"

"Do you mind if I quote?  She said, quote 'You might want to think twice before you mess with the Great Seto Kaiba again.  He won't reduce himself to dating the puppy's bitch' unquote," I said.

"I second that," Ryou replied.  "Sclera was going to punch her, but I held a book in front of her face.  The book was sent back a few inches, and I hit her, giving the red mark as a result."

"Class would you please get out your homework.  Ms. Marshal, come with me please."

I followed her reluctantly, thinking that I was heading straight to the principle's office, and would be getting one week of detention.  We walked down a hallway that I was familiar with.  She stuck her head inside of the classroom before saying, "Excuse me, Mr. Doctrine, but may I borrow Seto Kaiba for a minute?"

Seto's POV

After I had to break up the cat and dogfight that had taken place in the math room, I settled into my usual seat in English.    I didn't quite know why I had behaved the way that I had, but I knew that it had something to do with the betrayal that I felt inside.  I was drifting into my own world when Ms. Punjab stuck her head in the door.

"Excuse me, Mr. Doctrine, but may I borrow Seto Kaiba for a minute?"

"Certainly. Mr. Kaiba, go."

I stood, trying to ignore the looks that I was getting from all of the other classmates.  I stepped outside to see Sclera Marshal standing there, looking just as stunned as I was.  

"The two of you will be going to the school councilor," Ms. Punjab said.

"What?" we exclaimed together.  "We don't need a councilor!"

"Follow me."

We did as instructed.  I glared at her, and she glared at me.  I knew that I had pissed her off for no good reason, and perhaps she was one to stay away from.  Ms. Punjab told us to have a seat in the lobby area while she fetched the councilor.

"I hope you're proud of yourself," she said.

"Why's that?" I barked.

"You landed us in here.  If you hadn't said those things we wouldn't be here."

"Correction, if you had more self control we wouldn't be here."

"You know you have quite the fan club going.  You know what that slut of yours said to me?  Allow me to enlighten you. 'You might want to think twice before you mess with the Great Seto Kaiba again.  He won't reduce himself to dating the puppy's bitch'."

I sat there silently, taking in what she had said.  She was pissed off.  Not at me, but at Alicia for what she had said to her, causing her pride to be wounded.  There was nothing I could do or say to make this moment any tenser than it already was.  I smiled lightly.

"Well, now we know how to fight like an old married couple.  That should help our project," I said.

Through the tension she laughed.  I found that it was quite healing.  I could no longer try to hate her.  She was too much like Blue-Eyes.  /Forgive me…/

"The councilor will see you," Ms. Punjab announced.  "Return to your classes when you're through."

We gave each other a grave look before we rose, and entered the dreaded dungeon.

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Tornado: See.  There is more conflict, making the story more interesting.

DT: It only has two reviews, how can it be interesting?

Tornado: Well, the two reviews that I got were urging me to continue.

DT: Still, I don't think it's going anywhere.

Tornado: We'll find out. R&R.


	6. The Councilor

Tornado: Hi people!  I got another review, thank you Princess Fluffy for reviewing.

DT: Tornado doesn't own Yugioh, but she does own Sclera.  

Tornado: Now on with the ficcie!

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Seto's POV

Sclera and I strode into the brightly colored office of Mrs. Irk.  The walls were a shade of lemon yellow that blinded your eyes when you entered, and it made a horrible combination with the white carpeting.  A fat woman with short black hair sat behind a desk.  She seemed to burst from the sides of it.  I glanced at Sclera; her eyes were wide as she gazed at the thing in front of us.  The woman's skin seemed to be tinted green completing her frog appearance.  She motioned for us to sit in the stiff wooden chairs that were placed before the desk.   Marshal was still in shock as she plopped into the seat.  She glanced at me, and mouthed "What the fuck is that thing?"

"Councilor," I mouthed back.

She made a horrified face before turning back to the toad, who was jotting things down on a tablet.

"Now, what seems to be the problem?" she asked.

"There is no problem," we replied.

"That's not what your teacher told me.  She said that Ms. Marshal punched a girl in the face."

"You punched Alicia?" I asked as I turned to her in utter amazement.

"I would have succeeded if Ryou hadn't thrown a book in front of her face," the girl grumbled.

"Why did you punch her?"

"She insulted me."

"You go punch everyone that insults you?"

"Uh, yeah.  At least to that degree."

"What did she say?"

"'You might want to think twice before you mess with the Great Seto Kaiba again.  He won't reduce himself to dating the puppy's bitch'," she said in a faux preppy tone. 

"Who is 'the puppy'?"

"Wheeler," I said as I laughed.

"You mean Joseph Wheeler?"

"You else?" I asked, still in giggles.

"That's how this all started," Marshal sweetly.

"Give me a moment to get him here as well, and which Alicia do you mean?"

"You bring that girl in here you're going to end up with WW3."

"Allow me to get Mr. Wheeler down here," she said, leaving us alone in the gay colored room.

"What a toad," Marshal stated.

"Yeah, the scariest thing to walk the face of Domino."

"She's creepier than Pegasus."

"Hard to believe, isn't it?  Why do we need the mutt down here?"

"No fucking clue."

A few moments later, the door opened to reveal Joey Wheeler.  He wore an expression of confusion and repulsion.  He stared around the room before turning to the two occupants.

"What gay designer was set loose in here?" he asked.

"A toad," Marshal replied.

"Kaiba!  What are yah doin here?"  

"I'm partially the reason we're down here."

"Dat's great.  Is dis cause of lunch?"

"You missed it, I punched a girl."

"Who?"

"Alicia Spinet," I replied.

"One your adorin fans," Wheeler said as he sat on the other side of Marshal.  "How long is dis gonna take?"

"A minute, an hour, a day, a year, who knows," I replied.

"Christ, why the fuck am I here?"

"Language, Mr. Wheeler, or you'll get detention," the toad informed him as she waddled in.

"Mrs. Irk, how pleasant to see yah again.  It's been a whole three days since I been here."

"Due to lack of work, of course.  Now down to business, why are you called puppy?"

Wheeler's face drained of its color, and he glared straight at me.  His fists were balled and shaking.

"Kaiba I am gonna hurt yah later," he hissed.  "Dat's a stupid name dat Kaiba calls me."

"I see.  Mr. Kaiba, why do you call him that?"

"Because he's a nobody duelist that thinks he's all that."

"I don' get dog outta dat, Kaiba."  

"Of course you wouldn't because you're a sniveling, no brained mutt that only knows how to duel because Yugi's grandpa took the time and wasted effort to try and penetrate your brain.  Not that you know strategy or anything more complicated than a magic card."

"Watch it, Kaiba!"

"Joey, he isn't worth it.  He's trying to create a rise out of you," Marshal said.

"Well he's gettin what he wants."

"Don't let him."

"So let me see if I understand this.  The two of you have an on-going conflict, and now you were just drug into it?" the toad asked.

"That's correct," we answered.

"Well, now we need to solve these conflicts.  Joey how do you feel when you get called a dog?"

"Angry, what else should I feel?"

"And Sclera, how do you feel?"

"Agitated?"

"Seto how do you feel when you call Joey a dog?"

"First I don't feel anything because it's fact instead of opinion, and it's Kaiba to you."

"What brought Sclera into this conflict?"

"Yesterday I made fun of Joey and she stood up for him, causing me to punch her."

"**You** punched a girl?"

"So what, she started it."

"Why did you punch her?"

"When someone comes at you with their fists raise, you tend to act on instinct."

"So it's safe assume that you dwell on being in charge, which could signal a low self-confidence level."

"I do NOT dwell on being in charge.  I simply put people in their place when they mess with me."

"Have you ever considered the fact that you might be a homosexual?" she asked.

"WHAT?" I screamed.

Sclera's POV

My eyes widened at the notion of Seto being gay.  It was virtually impossible; he loved girls when I knew him, but that was the problem.  I didn't know the man sitting to my left.  He was completely different from the boy that I grew up with.  Occasionally I would see the same spark that had interested me in that young boy in the cold man before me, but it was only for a moment.  However wild the accusation may have seemed, it explained a lot of things, such as why he didn't have a girlfriend.

"WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT I'M GAY?" he cried.

"Well, since you don't know how to express yourself, you fight with the people that interest you, pushing them away to show you care."

"Than I care about the whole damned Earth, minus my little brother."

"Well, it's what I get out of this.  Besides you don't know how many girls I get in here that cry about how you turned them down, and I put two and two together."

He sat there, shocked by the claim and reasoning.  I glanced at Joey who had a horrified look upon his face.  Whether it was from the fact that his rival could possibly turn down every woman in the school or the fact that he could be a love interest for him was beyond me.  I decided not to speak for fear of giving my position away.  To our surprise, Joey was the first to speak.

"There's no way dat Kaiba's gay.  I may hate da guy, but there is no way dat he's gay.  I mean, da girls drool all over him, and I admit dat it's insane ta turn 'em away, but dat don' make a person gay.  He don' even act gay," Joey pointed. 

"Thanks, Wheeler, but you're still a dog."

"Da thought of yah havin a crush on me is enough ta turn my stomach."

"That makes two of us," he replied.

"Have _you_ considered being gay, Joey?" the toad asked.

"What is it with you and accusing people of being gay?" I asked.  "Is that your solution to everything?"

"I'm simply reading between the lines."

"Well you have to read between the between the lines.  They hate each other; people do hate each other.  I hated this one girl at Obadiah, does that make me a les?  No it means that I hate someone, big deal."

The other occupants looked at me with amazement on their faces.  I could tell that my outburst was going to earn me an unfavorable spot in the councilor's book, but I didn't plan on coming back here anytime soon.  

"Do not speak that way to me again."

"Leave me alone, will you?  God you're a school councilor not a shrink.  By the way how much is this session going to cost me?"

"A detention, which will be served after school today."

I glared at her.  The woman didn't like to be pushed around, and I knew that I had intentionally pushed her buttons.  Joey and Seto were amazed that I got detention for such a small matter.

"You can't just give her detention for making a smart remark!" Seto exclaimed.

"Do you want to join her?" she asked.

"Write the slip, Frogger," he shot.

Both Joey and I were taken back by his actions.  Joey's expression clearly stated that Seto stayed on the good side of all the teachers.  I was amazed at how rapidly he had changed his action towards me.  This morning he had been snappy, then he was kind only to turn hateful in an instant, and now he was standing up for me.  Dragon sure had complicated himself in the three years that I had been gone.

Seto's POV

I knew that I probably shouldn't have called the councilor "Frogger", but not only does she look like a toad, she acts like one as well.  She said she's reading between the lines, but she's full of shit.  

"You'll be having a detention as well, Seto."

"That's Kaiba to you."

"Would you like to make it two days?"

"Why not?"

"Two it is."

I continued to push her buttons, hoping that in a few moments I would be making a first class trip to the principal's office.  Mr. Conway was the nicest of all the teachers, and if I pressed hard enough, I could probably get that retched woman fired.  I thought of another thing to further piss the amphibian in front of me, but unfortunately I ran out of insults.

"You know that you have something up your ass, right?" Marshal asked.

"Two days detention as well, Sclera."

"That's Marshal to you."

"Want three?"

"Shut up, yah toad!" Joey exclaimed.

"That is it, all of you go down to the principal's office right now!" she said.

I smirked as we left.  I was already planning the conversation in my head.  No matter what I refused to go to detention for more than one day.  I knew that could get myself out of it, but Sclera I was not so sure of.  /I did get her into this mess, so I might as well bail her out./

We sat in the lobby again.  Sclera sat with her head in her hands as she ignored the rest of the world.  Wheeler was comforting her, but she didn't seem to be listening.  He looked up at me; his face was full of worry.

"I probably shouldn' said dat last one," he whispered.

"I'll bail us out."

He questioned me with his eyes.  "Since when do yah help out someone in need?"

"When it's my fault."

"I was da one dat landed us here."

"True, but I was the one that said those things at lunch."

"And I was the one that got us in the office in the first place," Sclera answered quietly.

"A'right, so we're all responsible for one thing.  Kaiba, how yah plannin on bailin us out?"

"We'll get detention, but it'll keep us from deeper shit."

"I can live wit detention.  How bout yah, Sclera?"

"Detention's fine," she mumbled.

I stared at the girl sympathetically.  She was brand new, and on her second day was already at the principal's office.  This was not Joey and my first time here, and I knew it would not be the last.  The office door opened, and a flustered Mrs. Irk exited along with a man with graying blonde hair and cheery blue eyes.  He surveyed us, and cocked his head to the side upon seeing Sclera.

"Why so glum?" he asked.

"I'm at the principal's on my second day here.  Must be a record," she answered looking up at her interrogator.

"Actually, those two were here within the first three minutes of school at the beginning of the year, so it is not a record.  Please step into my office," the man said.

We got up and followed him into a small closet sized office that was a contrast from Mrs. Irk's bright one.  The walls were painted cobalt and the carpet was a distinct black.  I noticed that Sclera had relaxed considerably as we entered the blue room.  It was as if the coloring soothed her frazzled nerves.  There was only one chair in the miniscule space, and I caught Wheeler's eye.  He nodded, and forced Sclera into the chair while he leaned on the wall beside her.  I leaned against the opposite wall never allowing my eyes to leave the man in front of me.  He smiled slightly when he saw our actions.

"Isn't it amazing how a woman can calm the most turbulent seas?" he asked.

We all looked at him in confusion.  The metaphor had eluded my mind for a moment before I answered in a metaphor of my own, "A flame may burn forever, but it must bend to the will of water."

"Very good, Mr. Kaiba.  You should be a philosopher rather than an executive.  Now what can I do for you students today?"

"Fire that retched old toad that you are employing as a councilor," I stated.

"I wish it were that simple.  Nobody wants to sooth the exhausted nerves of today's young people.  We were lucky to get that 'retched old toad'."

"Then I'll do it for crying out-loud."

"I don't think people want to be told to 'go screw themselves' when they're going through a 'crisis'." 

"Well, life's tough, deal with it."

He laughed.  "I found it very amusing that you actually called the councilor Frogger.  It's quite a good game wouldn't you say?"

"Mokuba loves it, so what the hell."

"No matter how much I agree with you, I cannot let you go without punishment.  I know it's a free country with the freedom of speech thing, but you disrespected a teacher.  So, Mr. Kaiba, you and Ms. Marshal will serve an after school detention today.  Is that unfair to anyone?"

"Wait, Mr. Conway, I made a statement too," Joey said.

"No you didn't," Sclera said.

"Yeah I did, dat's what landed us here in da first place."

"No, I landed us here," she insisted.

"Joey, my advice to you is to take it and run," the principle advised.

Wheeler looked between Marshal and Conway before nodding his head.  The principal waved us out as he turned to his deskwork.  We strolled out silently, and I glanced at the clock to find that we needed to be in homeroom.  

"Why'd yah take da blame for me, Sclera?" Joey asked.

"It was my fault that I got you dragged in there, and besides, you were standing up for me."

"I wonder who else will be in detention with us," I wondered aloud.

"I know Keith has detention."

"Great," I replied.  "Let's get our stuff."

We separated, and I found my books on a table near the door.  A quick chat with Mr. Doctrine, and I was on my way to homeroom, stopping in science to see what I missed, thankfully nothing much.  Sclera and Wheeler were just about to enter the classroom when I turned the corner.  Upon hearing my footsteps both stopped and waited for me to catch up.  We entered silently, and Mr. Dictrix looked up from his papers.

"Why are you three late?" he questioned.

"Principal," we answered in monotone unison.

"Ah."

Sclera flopped beside me, and pulled her math out to work on. Wheeler sat in the empty seat in front of her, sitting backwards as he placed his book on her desk.  The girl looked up momentarily before gently smiling, and she returned to her work.  I did the same, catching Yugi, Gardner, and that other buffoon approaching.  Wheeler looked up from his current equation to greet the trio, but Marshal did a small wave of her hand, signaling a universal greeting.  

"Where were you guys?" Yugi asked

"Principal's office," Marshal said nonchalantly.

"Why?" Tea questioned.

"Cause Sclera punched Spinet in da face."

"Almost punched her in the face," the girl corrected.

"Why?" Tristan asked.

"Because she said quote, 'you might want to think twice before you mess with the Great Seto Kaiba again.  He won't reduce himself to dating the puppy's bitch', unquote," I answered coolly. 

"That's right she is part of the Seto Kaiba fan club," the pointy-haired boy answered.

"For the record, I never encouraged that," I said.

"It still is the Seto Kaiba fan club."

"I never encouraged it," I repeated, not looking up from my Algebra. 

"Kaiba called Irk Frogger!" Wheeler said enthusiastically.

"You did?" Yugi interrogated.

"So what?  You cannot tell me that that woman doesn't look like a toad."

"But Frogger?" Tea asked.

I shrugged.  "She was annoying me."

"Not true.  Yah were standin up for Sclera!" Joey said loudly, causing half the class to look in their direction.

"Keep your voice down, mutt.  I have a reputation to uphold," I hissed.

The class soon returned to their activities, keeping an open ear for any more of the conversation between the group in the back.  The rest of the period was silent except for the occasional conversing between the mutt and Marshal.  Soon the bell rang, dismissing us into the hell of detention.  I gathered my stuff, along with Sclera and we headed for our lockers.  I noticed that Wheeler was closely following her, and I assumed that he was going to show her the detention room.  I met her there with none other than Joey Wheeler as her escort.

"You don't have to show her every class, mutt."

"Well, since she didn' know where the detention room was, I thought I'd show her.  You don' have ta be all possessive of her, yah know."

She blushed upon hearing the last words.  I blushed a bit as well, causing Joey to laugh before taking off down the hall.  I shook my head, and motioned for her to go inside.  As she did, I caught my gaze fastening on her rear.  I quickly shook my head, and followed her in.  The teacher acknowledged our presence with a nod, and the two of us sat down beside each other.  She pulled out a thick book, and opened to the middle.  I reached out with my hand, turning it so I could see the cover.

"Clear and Present Danger, by Tom Clancy," I whispered.  "Clancy fan as well?"

"Of course," she returned. 

Bandit Keith had just strutted in with his usual gang of cronies.  He spotted Marshal, and sat on the other side of her.  The rest surrounded us, but we paid them no attention.  Marshal stayed focused on her book even when Keith spoke to her.

"Hey, baby doll, how about you and me go to my place after school.  Nobody's home," he said.

I felt the grip on my book tighten severely.  /I can't believe that he's making moves on her in the middle of detention.  Who does he think he is?/

"It's 'you and I'," she corrected. 

"Well, you're as smart as you are pretty, just like a Porsche."

 "And you look like an old pick up." 

I had to stifle my laughter.  She packed a punch of dynamic proportions.  /She might want to tread a bit softer around Keith./

"Yeah, but this 'old pick-up' has a lot of experience."

"A truck is an insult to a Porsche."

"Well, what's not?"

She looked into his small blue pupils.  "A Ferrari," she answered.

His smile faltered, quickly replaced by rage.  The girl seemed unafraid of him, and something told be that it was not a façade.  Her eyes posed a challenge of danger.  I knew this was one girl that you never wanted to mess with.

"A Ferrari depreciates over time," Keith replied.

"But the rarity of the moment lasts a lifetime."

"Porsches are girly cars."

"That's why I'm a Shelby," she answered.

"A what?"

"A 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby GT 500."

"What is that?"

"A muscle car worth lots."

/She knows her cars,/ I thought.

"I think you're just Honda Civic.  So common that you blend into the crowd."

"I can be what I want.  From Mustang to Bugatti, Shelby to Cobra." 

"You're regular three-ring circus."

"With shark bite."

A smile appeared behind my book.  The girl knew how to make people tick.  Keith turned away, and talked to his groupies, leaving Marshal and I to a conversation of the eyes.  She glanced at the clock before mouthing, "Seventeen hundred thirty-two seconds."

Seventeen hundred thirty-two seconds later, we escaped the confinement of the small detention room.  I felt relieved to break out of the stifling hell.  My eyes came to rest on the girl beside me.

"What did you want to talk about at lunch?" I asked her.

Sclera's POV

After my encounter with Keith, I was more confident than ever that most guys are horny, air-headed dickheads.  Seto and I rushed from the classroom the minute the teacher dismissed us.  We stood silently on the stone steps of the school.  I was about to call Henry when a voice asked, "What did you want to talk about at lunch?"

I turned to see Seto string at me with expectant eyes.  He looked so handsome in his boy's uniform.  I couldn't resist the pull that he created.  I slowly walked up to him so that our noses were an inch apart.  

"When do you want to do this project?" I asked.

He smiled.  "Are you free now?"

"Yeah.  Let me call my house to inform its occupants that I'll be late."

"Do you always speak in that proper manner?"

"Fuck no."

"I'll have a driver pick us up," he said before whipping out a titanium cell phone.

I did the same, whispering to Henry that I would be late getting back, and not to make dinner until I got home.  By the time I was finished, a black Mercedes stretch limo pulled up in front of the school.  Seto opened the door for me get in.  I did, having him follow me.  He gave orders to the driver to go home, and I was on my way to prison.

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Tornado: Lots of metaphors here.  I hope this chapter makes thing a bit more interesting.  Next will be even better.

DT: I hope this goes somewhere other than a stupid fluffy romance fic.

Tornado: You'll see where it all goes.  R&R.         


	7. The Secret Hate

Tornado: Hi people!  I got three more reviews on this story!!!

DT: She's hyper.

Tornado: I don't own Yugioh so on with the fic!!!!

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Sclera's POV

The car ride was silent.  I didn't want to speak, and I suspect that he didn't either.  I stared listlessly out the window, watching the world fly by before my eyes.  He did the same.  Occasionally, I would sneak a glance at him.  He was so handsome as he sat there with his head resting on his hand. I caught myself wondering where all of this attraction had come from.  I had always had a crush on him, but it was just my child naivety.  Now, it seems that I'm drawn to him more than ever before.  My world confuses me.  

It took us about ten minutes to reach the mansion.  It was as beautiful as it had ever been.  The grass was neatly manicured with a long, grey driveway leading up to the white house.  The marble stairs gleamed in the sunlight.  I remembered frolicking across the yard with Mokuba on cool fall days, playing in the leaves.  With that memory, came the one where I was running from my life.  I clearly recalled running down the steps with my backpack full of my belongings, never looking back no matter how much Seto called for me.  That was the only time that I had ever remembered the night that I ran away.  My only recollections were of reasons that I ran and reasons I should have stayed.  I wished that I could go back in time and redo it all.  My life would have been so different. 

The limo came to a stop, and Seto helped me out.  He paid no attention to the driver as he escorted me into the main house.  I stood in the foyer, staring around at the navy walls, the marble floors, and the crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling.  Seto had redecorated since I had gone, but it still captured your imagination. 

"Smallest room in the house," he stated from behind me.

"It's enormous."

"You should have seen it when it was painted white.  It looked endless."

I smiled warmly.  The air in the house had changed so much.  Before it had been harsh and forbidding, but now it radiated with taste and hominess.  Mokuba had a good environment to grow up in.  

"Shall we go into the living room to work?" he asked.

"Certainly," I replied.

He led me through a set of arched doorways into the living room.  There was a mixture of blue and white contemporary furniture that was focused around a big screen TV.  The white carpet blended with the walls creating an abyssal look.  The coffee table was a translucent blue glass with silver framing.  The fireplace was also in a white marble, just as it had always been.  I studied it for a few moments before something caught my eye.  On top of the fireplace there was a lone picture frame.  Slowly I proceeded towards it with curiosity.  What I saw in that picture, I could never even believe.

Seto's POV

I watched as Sclera stepped towards the fireplace, staring at the only picture frame on the mantel.  My heart began to beat a bit faster as she approached it, but I couldn't muster the strength to tell her to come back.  Something was retaining me from doing so.  She picked up the frame, and ran her hand over it.

I walked to her side, and also stared down at the picture.  There were seven kids, all crowded together with smiles planted on their faces.  Two boys had neat black hair and brown eyes, another two had sandy hair and brown eyes, and the youngest had a wild, raven mane and stormy eyes.  The final two looked almost exactly alike.  One was a boy and the other was a girl.  Both had auburn brown hair and sapphire eyes.  Their hands were on the youngest child's shoulders, one on the left and one on the right.

"This is picture of my friends, my brother, and me when I was ten years old.  It was the last picture I ever got with all of them," I whispered.

"Who's the girl?  Your twin sister?" she asked.

"No.  We weren't even related.  She was my best friend.  But that's the past," I said heavily, replacing the picture on the mantel.  "She doesn't remember me anymore."

"How do you know?"

"It's been three years since I've seen her; I don't even know if she's alive."

Sclera didn't say anything.  She just stared at me with her beautiful sapphire orbs.  I felt that same lust that I had felt in my daydream well inside of me.  She was so damn beautiful.  She wasn't like the other girls; she wasn't preppy, she wasn't a slut, and she wasn't a Goth.  She fell into her own category.  I quickly turned away from her, and sat down on the sofa.  She soon joined me.

"Sensitive subject?" she asked.

"No.  More like a never healing wound."

"We should probably get working on our project," she whispered.

"Yes.  Let's."

We worked without talking to each other for the majority of the afternoon.  From the way she worked, I could tell that she preferred to be an independent worker.  She rarely spoke except for the rare remark to herself about her "stupid" computer.

"God dammit! That's the third fucking time!  Stupid ass computer!" she randomly screamed.

"Having problems?" I asked.

"Yeah, the damned thing won't let me get on the Internet."

"Let me see," I said, taking the computer from her.

My hand brushed hers as I did so.  It lingered there for a few moments before my mind geared up again, and I withdrew fast.

"Sorry," I whispered.

She laid her hand on mine causing me to stare at her face.  Her eyes were surveying me, scanning my mind for the complete truth of the gesture.  My heart was racing uncomfortably in my throat and my breath quickened.  My lips suddenly crashed into hers.

Sclera's POV

I was astonished when his lips connected with mine.  It all happened so suddenly that I had no chance to thoroughly think the action through.  As an automatic response, I allowed him the access to my mouth.  He deepened our kiss, causing me to lose my balance and lay on the sofa.  

My tongue asked for permission to enter his mouth; he granted it.  I explored his cavity, savoring the coffee taste that it held.  Suddenly the realization dawned on me.  I needed oxygen.  We abruptly broke apart gasping for air.  Seto was lying on top of me with rather wide eyes.  I too noticed that I was surprised by my actions.  It came to me that I was in deep shit.

"Well, this is an awkward situation," Seto gasped.

"Yeah," I replied breathlessly.

He took in our position and removed his weight from me.  I sat up still trying to regain my breath.  He shot a glance my way, allowing it to loiter for several minutes.  I gazed back at him not knowing how to respond.  Both of us attempted to speak numerous times, but came to no avail.  I focused my attention back on the computer, which had started this whole scenario.

"I think that your computer is temporarily out of function," he stated as he saw the heap on the floor.

"Damn!  I had some important files on that thing too.  Thank god for diskettes."

"You're one of the smarter ones."

"My memory was running out anyway.  No biggie; just won't be able to work for a few days.  Oh damn," I answered mono tonally

At first I thought he was going to question, but thought better of it.  For that, I was thankful.  I checked my watch quickly, noting the fact that it was already four thirty.  Something was bothering me though.  I wanted to press for more details.

"I hate to sound like I'm nagging, but I have a few questions," I stated.

"About what?"

"That photo."

"I'd rather not go into this."

"Please, I'll never ask these questions again, or mention anything to anyone," I pleaded.

He was reluctant.  I knew that Seto had always had trust issues.  He was quite the realist in the fact that he believed that anyone would do anything for enough money.  We were the exception to that rule.

"Fine, but if you mention this to anyone, I'll spread a little story about you coming on to me full force.  Deal?"

Typical Seto. "Deal.  First, when you said that the picture was the last that you'd ever gotten of all of them what did you mean?"

"I meant that I hadn't seen or heard from them since I was ten years old.  I'll eliminate a few more questions by explaining why.

"When I was five my mother had died giving birth to my brother, leaving my father and me to tend to a child.  That wasn't a big deal. For the limited time that she was alive, my best friend's mother helped us care for him, but she died in a car crash about two months later.  My friend was devastated by the loss, and all I could do was offer her a shoulder to cry on.  She began to withdraw herself from the world, leaving me to fear the worst.  Thankfully, her twin brother kept talking to her and it made her feel like she was still needed in the world.  The group that you saw in the picture was our "gang" that we used to run.  They played a key role in the reason that I am still in front of you today.

"Everything was going fine for about five years, but one day, our fathers- Lera's and mine- went to work.  It was her birthday, and we had both known that the pair had to work.  The problem was they never returned.  Instead, we got a visit from the local police saying that our fathers had been in a terrible accident, and were in critical condition at the hospital.  To make a long story short, we watched both of our fathers die and that left us with no other parents.  

"My family either refused or couldn't take Mokuba and me in.  Lera had a grandfather that could care for both her and her brother.  I wanted to assure her that I would one day see her once again, but there were no guarantees.  She would have gone too, but her brother was traumatized by the loss even more than she had been at the loss of their mother.  I was sitting in her room when he burst in and began to rant about how she was not part of his family.  The basis for this was the fact that she didn't even slightly resemble any member of _either_ of her families and also the fact that she was retaining her tears.  Another long story short, she ran away, and Mokuba and I went to an orphanage.

"A year later, I was adopted, and Mokuba and I came here.  This is when I met up with Lera again.  She too had been adopted by the vice president of Kaiba Corps, who was also a very good friend of my stepfather, Gozaburo Kaiba, president of Kaiba Corps.

"I also met up with her brother again, and grew to hate him.  It was his fault that his sister was in the situation that she was! It was his fault that…" he stopped.

I didn't need to be told what he was going to say, and I wasn't going to fill it in either.  I lowered my head, remembering all of the horrible nights that I had lived in fear.  I was about to change the subject when he did it for me.

"Damn you, Yugi Moto."

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Tornado: OMG!!!! Can you believe it?!?!?!?!

DT: Will you shut the hell up?!  Damn woman!!!!

Tornado: Sorry.  So what did you think of the chapter?  Quite a twist, huh?  This isn't all there's still a whole lot more that you need to find out. R&R.          


	8. The Unexpected Guest

Tornado: Hiya peeps.  Sorry  I haven't updated in while, my Alg. Homework has been a bitch to complete.  Plus I have some other stupid projects that I have to do.

DT: You should really be doing those right now.

Tornado: Shut up!  I'd rather be updating  this story than doing stupid ass projects that have nothing to do with education.

DT: Than why do they assign them in the first place?  
Tornado: They reap pleasure seeing all the kids cringe in exhaustion.

DT: Do you really believe that?

Tornado: Why shouldn't I?

DT: Just continue with the fic.

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Seto's POV

I couldn't believe that I had let that slip.  She knew what I had been hiding from the world for ages.  When I had arrived here, I had been surprised to find that Yugi did not recognize me.  That was the way I liked it.  I still today had never forgiven him for his childish mistake.  When Blue-Eyes taught me how to duel, I had vowed to make her proud of me.  This is why I fought to be the number one in the world.  When Yugi stole my title, it devastated me.  I have no problem with Yugi other than he killed his sister and proceeded to use her dueling beliefs still today.  He put twists into her teachings, probably changes made by his grandfather.  

Sclera's beeper buzzed abruptly, causing both of us to jump.  She let out a slight growl of annoyance as she glanced at it.  She rolled her eyes before withdrawing a cell phone from her pocket.  After typing the digits into it, she spoke in a heated tone for a few minutes.  She was clearly ticked that whoever had beeped her was in conversation with her at the moment.  

"Whatever, I'll be there as soon as I can," she barked before hanging up the phone.  "Fuck."

"What's wrong?" I interrogated.

"The people that I work with cannot stand to work one day without me in their presence, so I have to go and help them," she answered bitterly.

"Would you like a ride?" I offered.

"No thanks.  I'll call my chauffer, and have him pick me up."

I nodded understandingly. It was much more comfortable in your own car than in someone else's.  I studied her as she conversed on the other line.  Her words flowed from her lips with precision and speed.  It was a few seconds before she fully refocused her attention on me.  Her eyes were suddenly displaying weariness and fatigue.  

We sat quietly until her pager beeped once more.  She gathered her book bag before addressing me.

"Thank you for inviting me.  I truly enjoyed spending time with you.  And let's not mention this little incident to anyone shall we?" she said.

"Of course.  I guess I'll see you tomorrow.  Wait, it's Friday.  Never mind, I guess I'll see you on Monday."

"See you than," she responded before departing.

I watched her silver Mercedes drive down the driveway.  I sighed heavily.  Mokuba bounded down the stairs.  He looked like he had heard that Christmas was coming early.  I raised my eyebrow at him as he plopped on my lap.   

"Who was that?" he asked sweetly.

"A classmate," I said bluntly.

"Do you like her?"

"No."

"Than why did you kiss her?"

My face paled and my eyes widened.  I felt my jaw lock tightly.  "You saw that huh?"

"Every bit of it.  Why did you tell her about the photo and Yugi?"

"Enough with the twenty questions.  Okay, I kind of like her, as for the last question, I have no fucking clue.  You didn't hear that."

He shrugged.  "You do know that you have a business dinner tonight, right?"

"Shit, I totally forgot.  Thanks for reminding me.  What time and where?"

"Eight o'clock at Marshal's."

"What the fuck is Marshal's?"

"New place.  I hear it was rated five stars."

"Really, interesting.  Come on, I have to pick out a suit."

He smiled before sprung ahead of me, and bolted into my chamber.  I doggedly followed; I was not looking forward to this.

Sclera's POV

I stared out the window, analyzing the events that had occurred in the Kaiba mansion.  Henry had been gracious enough not to ask about it, but I knew he was pondering.  

"I have called the restaurant and informed them that you would be an hour.  That will give you enough time to shower and properly ready yourself.  I have a feeling that you will be waitressing," Henry informed me. 

"I thought I told Phillip to hire more waiters?"

"He did, but the problem is that there is not enough for the group we are accommodating tonight.  A horde of upper-class business men are having a meeting in the private dinning room, and we need more waitresses to serve them."

"I guess I can't be too angry over that.  Could you possibly select an outfit that would be appropriate for this crowd?"

"I have already been thinking about that.  Slacks or skirts?"

"Slacks.  One: they're more comfortable. Two: most businessmen are complete perverts.  Something a little less revealing for the top would be sufficient as well."

He nodded.  I was silent for the rest of the ride.  When I reached my apartment, I simply got my shower and dressed in the outfit that Henry had selected.  It was a rich red silk shirt and a pair of black slacks.  He had also sat out a pair of knee-high boots.  I soon walked into the kitchen where Henry was leaning on the black counters.  He smiled before motioning to the door.  

We reached the restaurant within ten minutes to be greeted by a distressed looking Phillip Clem.  He was smiled politely offering me a hand out of the car.  I gave him my best cut-to-the-chase glare.

"How long until they arrive?" I asked.

"An hour and a half."

"How much is done?"

"Absolutely nothing."

"Christ."

We strode through the gold and glass doors, entering a spacious lobby with cherry hardwood floors and gold walls. The hostess looked up immediately with a relieved look.  I raised my hand in greeting before following Phillip back through the dining area, which carried out the red and gold theme.  The room was relatively bright with the reflective gold walls, but the low lighting made up for it.  There were only three sources of light: the candles on each table, the small ceiling lights that were placed in the middle of each of the four dining areas, and the large chandelier in the center.  There was a romantic air circulating through the restaurant, but it was obliterated upon passing through the large cherry doors into the private dining hall.  

The walls were gold based with red splotches blended on. The long cherry table intimidated the new entrees of the room.  The chairs were cherry with leatherbacks and seats.  Yes, this was indeed the perfect place for businessmen.

I quickly began my work.  It was maid's work for I had to dust, vacuum, and set the table before the guests arrived.  It took me an hour to do so, and when I was finished, I plopped into the head chair.  Phillip joined me letting out a long sigh.  I felt his pain.  We were so booked that twenty waitresses could barely cover the floor.  Regularly, our chefs became flustered with the workload, threatening to quit.  Our waitresses complained that their hours were too long, and we were not paying them enough.  The only one that never complained an ounce was Phillip.  I could never pay him enough for the shit that he took from the others and me.  The work he did around the restaurant was amazing.  He calmed the rioting members and balanced the books, allowing me to concentrate on my schoolwork.   I could never pay him enough.

"Oh, Phillip, this place is a mess," I said heavily.

"I know, but you are doing everything that you can to keep this place running.   You have the hardest job: managing your life and your job.  You have tons of schoolwork and you have to concentrate on keeping the restaurant open.  Those are not easy tasks." 

"I get tired of it all.  Sometimes I wish I could be normal, while others I wish I could be here."

We both sat in silence for the longest time.  I stared at the wall blankly, juggling the thoughts of my mind into some system of organization.  One of the waitresses popped her head into the room.  Phillip promptly left without words.  I stayed seated with the same expression: frustrated.  /Life is just too damn complicated./

"Ms. Marshal?" a small voice asked from behind.

"What is it?" I answered irritably.  

"The guests have arrived," she informed in the same timid voice.

"Thank you," I replied before rising.

I strode out the door with purposeful steps.  I held my head high and my back straight.  These men would not intimidate me.  The hostess was about to seat them when I cut in.  she curtly nodded and steped away, leaving me to inherit the floor.

"Gentlemen, welcome to Marshal's; my name is Sclera and I'll be your waitress ," I said.  "Could you please follow me?"

I seated them in the private dining hall, giving them a few minutes to decide while I put my head into gear.  I heard the doors open followed by several loud greetings.  I entered the room once more to discover that the new entrée was a young boy with light brown hair, cerulean eyes, and an all black three-piece suit.  I blinked.

Seto's POV

Mokuba selected a finely tailored black jacket and slacks granting me the honor of my shirt choice.  We both agreed on a black silk shirt and a blood red tie.  I fixed my hair, which was put to no use because it fell right back into place anyway, before striding out the door.  

I arrived at Marshal's late, as usual, but the hostess greeted me with a smile before leading me to the dining area.  I admired the scenery of the restaurant.  The walls were golden contrasting the cherry floors.  This was more of a romantic restaurant.  I had nothing against that, but I began to wonder what the private hall looked like.  The moment I passed through the doors, a completely different setting received me.  The walls were still golden, but now contained the occasional accent of red.  The low lighting had been traded for two bright chandeliers.  It was a gorgeous room.

"Kaiba, you made it," a large, surly-looking man stated.

"Yes, well I can never arrive at a dinner on time," I replied smoothly.

He chuckled as the rest of the group hailed me.  The doors opened once more, and a sapphire-eyed brunette entered.  She was wearing black slacks and a brilliant red long-sleeve.  I felt my mouth drop.  /What the hell is Sclera Marshal doing here?/

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Tornado: So how will the dinner go?  You'll just have to read the next chapter to find out.


	9. The Past and the Promise

Tornado: I am so happy!!  You people are so cool!! I haven't gotten one flamer yet!!

DT: We hear you, but can we get on with the fic?

Tornado: Oh, yeah.  

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Seto's POV

I stared at the girl standing before me.  She was so beautiful.  She appeared just as shocked as I to see me here.  I quickly averted my eyes, which had begun traveling.  The rest of the guests were talking amongst themselves, unaware of the turmoil that faced me.  She offered me a seat, and I accepted without a second glance at her face.  Out of the corner of my eye, I observed her as she strode out of the room.  Her walk was purposeful and superior, giving her the arrogant air that she could never possess.  A low growl caught my attention.

"I wonder what it would be like to have that one in the sack for an hour or two," the large, surly, Robert Glatfelter stated.

"She seems too proud for you," a voice called from the other end of the table.

"I bet she's really a slut underneath of that pride," he grumbled.

"It would appear as if you had your eye most keenly trained on her, Seto," a young, blonde informed.

I gazed at him, allowing a mysterious smirk to form.  

"It 'tis never a good thing when a smile such as that surfaces on the face of Seto Kaiba," he added.  "What are you up to?"

"Oh, Alex, do you even have to ask what I'm up to?" I replied.

He chuckled.  Alex Hessian, the CEO of Brandywine Corporation, the one person among this group that I could count on.  He had been an ally of mine for many years after I took over Kaiba Corp.  I knew that he sensed the tension between Marshal and me upon my arrival.  His inquiries were simply a follow-up of his suspicions.

"You and your women," he scoffed.

"The only half-decent thing on this earth, and the only things they're good for are stealing your money and sex."

The men around me raised their glasses, clanging them together as I spoke my words.  Alex shook his head, fiddling with his wedding ring.  I smiled as I remembered their wedding.  It had been perfect with roses lining the aisle way, Alex in a tux, and angelic Maria in her pristine dress.  I had sat in the back, digesting the scenery around me.  I saw the happy looks on their faces at the reception and watched as they danced the night away.  I found myself longing for that.  I wanted to have someone that understood me, could stand my outburst and the way I pushed people away; someone that could see past the shield of ice.  This was the reawakening of Blue-Eyes.  It was then that I thought of the way I felt about her.  I hated my self for going.

"So, Seto, do you know this girl?" one of them asked.

"Yeah, she goes to my school."

"Thinking of getting it on with her?"

"She's beneath me."

The door snapped.  All of the heads turned to see Sclera Marshal.  She didn't appear angry.  To be exact, I don't even think she heard it.  She smiled.

"What can I get you to drink?" she asked politely.

"Can I get a taste of your pussy?" Glatfelter blurted.

Anger began to pulsate through my by body, leaving no area unaffected.  Alex was also heatedly glaring at him.  The others were simply stifling their laughter.  The man looked into my eye before correcting himself: "Sorry, Seto, I know that's your job."

I stared at the table and place my fingers on the bridge of my nose. I could only imagine the things that were going through her mind.  I shot a sidelong glance at her only to be shocked.  She simply smiled.

"My pussy is not on the menu.  I'm afraid those of you that had that in mind will have to pick something else."

The others were just as shocked as I was to hear her comment.  They ordered each saying a perverted comment as they did. When it came time for my turn, she eyes were engulfed with flames.  She stared right into my eyes, and a calm seemed to pass over me.  I ordered black coffee before she spun on her heel, and stalked away.  There was silence for several moments before Alex spoke.

"You guys are pigs."

"Speak for yourself Mr. I-have-a-wife-and-am-afraid-to-do-anything-wrong-for-fear-that-she'll-find-out.  You may be tied down to one person for an eternity, but don't interfere with those of us that are free as a bird."

"Seto, we set the stage for, you, why didn't you make a move on her?" Glatfelter asked.

"Look, I'm no into the whole making myself look like a complete pervert thing.  That may work for you guys, but I'll do things my own way," I snapped.

"What exactly is your way?"

"I charm them."

"Please, women like to know that they're with a man that knows his stuff when it comes to bed.  If you're rich and a pervert you are a prime choice for women."

"That only applies to sluts.  The way to get to a real woman, a fiery one, on that doesn't parade herself in front of men, one that appears to be untouchable, is to first figure their inner workings.  Find things that turn them on, find things that they like, dislike, things that make them tick, etcetera, then you can capture their heart."

"That doesn't even work.  You sound like Prince Charming."

"That's what women want today: a hero/knight figure.  They read these romance novels and think that their guy has to be this courageous, sensitive man, which there are none of, but you have to first appear that way to catch their interest."

"That works for you?  That is the most pathetic thing that I have ever heard."

"It really works if your target isn't a slut."

"I bet you that you couldn't get a steady girlfriend out of that method."

"I bet you I could."

"Fine, here's the bet: you get the girl that we choose to become your steady girlfriend, but there's a catch.  You have two weeks."

"I don't do bets with women.  There are no statistics."

"Your loss."

"You have to learn to respect women.  It's a wonder you even get laid," Alex commented.

"He pays them," a voice called.

Marshal came back into the room balancing two trays of drinks.  I gazed at her as she laced each drink down.  I noticed that the top two button were undone, and when she leaned over, I got a clear view of her cleavage.  I quickly refocused my gaze elsewhere.  /This is not supposed to affect me this much./ 

Sclera's POV

I was anything but depressed when I saw the businessmen walk out the door.  It took all my energy to refrain from shouting in joy.  I had taken their perverted comments, brushing them off only to be drenched with more.

The one thing that had surprised me was that Seto did not join them in their teasing. I don't know why that surprised me, but it did.  /I guess he hasn't changed that much since I last knew him./

I was staring around at the mess that had to be cleaned when something caught my eye.  A black, leather wallet lay discarded on the floor.  I gently picked it up to examine it.  After flipping open the flap, a surly Seto Kaiba greeted me.  He was glaring out with his sapphire orbs.  His business suit lacked a jacket and the top three buttons on his shirt were undone, revealing a sliver of his toned chest.  His tie was simply lying around his neck, untied.  He looked like he had journeyed to hell and back.  I continued to stare at the picture before hastily placing it in my pocket and began to clean the chaotic table.  

It was past midnight when I had finally finished.  I collapsed into the same chair that Seto had sat in.  I thought about all the things that had occurred tonight.  Deep down, I felt a bit betrayed.  He still could not see me. I did not know what else I could do to grab his attention.  

I wandered out into the main dinning area, which was now deserted.  I had dismissed the other workers early, telling them that I needed time alone.  I pulled out a chair, and collapsed immediately.  I was playing with the wallet when I heard the door open.  My head pivoted to find Seto standing just inside the doorway.  He seemed unsure of what to say or do.

"Looking for this?" I asked, holding the wallet for him to see.

"Yeah, I've been looking for that.  Thanks," he said as he acquired his missing item.  "You here by yourself?"

"I told the staff to take off early.  They've been overloaded lately."

"Mind if I have a seat?"

"Make yourself at home.  You want any coffee?"

"Please."

I rose, but shortly entered the room with two steaming cups.  He surveyed with his dark eyes.  I took my seat again, staring into the void of navy blue.

"So, you the place?" he asked curiously.

"I inherited it after my parents passed away.  Actually, they're all over the country, but this one needs extra help.  I spending every spare minute I have attempting to keep this place running."

"You like doing this?"

I shrugged.  "I guess, but I don't plan on devoting my life to it.  I think that if I keep it as a side thing I'll be able to make enough money to retire comfortably on.  I want to go to college and all that, I want to work for a job.  This will just be something that I can depend on in rough times."

"What are you going to do if you lose all of this?"

"It's not a big deal.  That's why I want to go to college."

"To be a forensic scientist."

"Right.  A new puzzle each day."

"Do you duel?"

"Duel? As in Duel Monsters?  Yeah, I'm nothing special."

"Any siblings?"

"I had a twin."

He fell silent.  He didn't say anything else.  I turned my gaze away from him.  Yugi was something that was hard for me to talk about.  That was the first time that I ran.  I remember that night more often than I remember the second time I ran away.  I can still recall the stillness as I crept through the house, stopping in Yugi's room one last time before stealthy disappearing into the dark.  My legs pumping faster than they had ever pumped before, I ran from the home that I had once known.  I only wish I would have known the horror that lye ahead.

Something wet began to inch along my skin, and my eyes became blurry.  The more I wiped the tears away, the faster they seemed to come.  I felt two arms wrap protectively around me.  I tried to regain the control that I had lost, but it was too far-gone.  A soft voice whispered in my ear.  There were no words to the voice just soothing sounds.  After some time, my tears ceased, and I began to dab the moisture from my face.  I glanced at Seto, who was kneeling beside the chair.  There was a countenance of sympathy painted on his handsome face.  

"I'm sorry I lost it," I murmured hoarsely. 

"It's all right.  I know if I lost my younger brother, I probably wouldn't be alive.  No one else gives a shit about me."

"Someone else does," I replied softly, touching his hand.

His mouth gapped a few inches before prominently closing. The moment his orbs met mine, a magnetic force began pulling our faces closer to each other. Suddenly, our lips collided with force.  He pulled me onto the floor, causing me to land on top of him.  My tongue asked for authorization to enter his cavity, and he granted it so willingly.  His hands began to slide underneath of my shirt as mine began to wander toward his southern region.  I felt his member hardening under my weight.  All of a sudden, it hit me that I was laying on top of my best friend in my restaurant and the scene was about to turn x-rated.  I forced myself out of him, sitting up to catch my breath.  He also sat up, and I felt his gaze trained on my face.  I refused to meet his eyes.  It was all too weird.

"I think I need to apologize for my actions earlier today," he said quietly.

"You mean when you kissed me the first time?" I inquired.

"Well, that too, but I mean when I became so hostile toward you this morning and at lunch.  It's hard for me to let people get close to me."

"So you've been in rough times too, huh?"

"You have no idea.  I can't say that I didn't learn anything from it, but it was not something that I wanted to go through." 

"Been there.  When my parents died, I thought I had lost it all.  There was nowhere else for me to turn, and that's when I became close friends with my butler.  I know that I can trust him with my life.  I had some pretty bad experiences, but I moved on."

"You and I are not that different.  We may have our differences, but mainly similarities.  I do hope that you and I become more than acquaintances."

"I'm sure that we will," I answered as he helped me to my feet.  "Can I ask you a question?  It's about the girl in that photo you showed me earlier.  Did you ever try looking for her?"

"I have no clue where to start, but most importantly, she asked me not to.  I shall see you at school, Sclera."

With that, he turned on his heel, and strode out of the door.  I stood there, stunned by his honesty.  Part of me longed to run after him to tell him my true name, but the majority advised to stay under this alias.  /My life sucks./ 

Seto's POV

When I returned from my visit to Marshal's, I immediately checked to see that Mokuba was safely tucked in bed.  As I watched him sleep, I just happened to notice that the black dragon was not in it's corner.  I stared around the room, desperately hoping to find it.  When my search proved to be fruitless, I returned my gaze to the sleeping form in front of me.  A spot of black caught my eye, and further investigation showed that the boy was clutching the dragon close to his body.  The white dragon was perched at the head of the bed, protecting the bedmates.  An old feeling of wonder began to drug my body.  I had to know.  

I exited my brother's room, and began the journey to my lab.  I snuck out of the house, and stumbled blindly around the yard.  I managed to find the chain, and pulled the trap door open.  The steps were black, but I never fell as I made my way to the bottom.  Soon, I was in a dark room with computers lining three walls.  I sat down, placing my headset on as I did so, and booted the computers.

"Voice identification protocol.  Please state your name," a girly, techno voice commanded.

"Seto Kaiba," I responded strongly.

"What happened this time?  Did someone throw you out of the house?" it asked.

"I need to search for something, and the mansion computers are not classified enough."

"Top secret stuff eh?  Well, you can be sure that I'll keep my mouth shut.  What do you need?  Porno, erotic videos, something of that category?"

"Why on earth would I need those things?"

"Well, you are a guy, I just wanted to know if you cracked yet.  So, seriously, what do you need?"

"I need you to pull up anything that you can find on Sclera Lireal.  I don't care what it is, just find it for me."

"Gotcha, love.  Well, I was able to find fourteen hits on the name Sclera Lireal."

"What's the first thing on the list?"

"Sclera Lireal, or formerly Sclera Moto.  Isn't that interesting.  I have a fact sheet on her.  I'll pull it up."

I document popped up on the screen.  I knew there wasn't going to be anything here, but it might possibly have her whereabouts.

Name: Sclera Culebra Moto Lireal

Age: 12

Date of birth: December 26, 1988

Hair color: Brown

Eye color: Blue

Height: 5'1"

Current address: Unknown

I sighed.  It had been just as I suspected.  I had the computer narrow the query to anything recorded after March 2, 2000.  Now, several newspaper clippings and police reports came into view.  I began to examine each one carefully, but after three hours, I still knew nothing more.  I stared at the screen where a picture of the girl that I had once known was displayed.

"Can you search for a picture containing Sclera Moto?" I asked.  "Display on the screen next to the other."

"What's the sudden interest in this? Are you trying to find a weakness in Yugi?"

"No, I would never place a blow this low upon him.  He doesn't even know that I am aware that he has a sister."  

"You knew before this?"

"I knew her.  In fact I lived next door to them." 

"You knew Yugi before he defeated you?  The nemeses have something in common."

"Drop it.  Now pull up anything you can find on Sclera Marshal."

"Sclera Marshal, the owner of Marshal's restaurant.  Her parents recently died in a car crash.  She inherited the restaurant chain from them.  She fought vigorously to gain independence, which did happen to some extent.  She is in the care of Henry Sterner.  You'll find this interesting; he's ex-military.  That's all I can really find on her.  Here's a picture if you want to look at it."

I stared at the newly appeared photograph, comparing it to the other two displayed on the screen.  They looked so similar.  I thought that I just wanted it to be her so much that I was imagining it. 

"Those pictures look almost identical," the computer commented.

"I know, but lots of people look like others.  Bookmark these three pages, I want to be able to come back to this."

I turned the computer off after several seconds, but I could not make my legs move.  I sat in my chair, recalling every moment that I had spent with Blue-Eyes.  I loved the way that she had smiled; I loved the way she laughed; I loved everything about her.  The truth hit me all at once: I had loved her.  The feelings that I felt towards Marshal were those old emotions reawakening inside of me.  In my mind, Marshal was Blue-Eyes.  I didn't know what to do.  Upon habit, I pulled my locket from my shirt.  It snapped open, unveiling a picture of Mokuba.  I knew that he had loved Blue-Eyes with his heart.  The events earlier tonight proved that he still did.  He had always told me to tell her how I felt, for I confided in him, but my golden opportunities had passed me by.  Mokuba had lately been encouraging me to get a girlfriend.  I did not know if that meant he wanted me to move on, but I would surely know at breakfast. I left the lab, and snuck back into the house.  

"BIG BROTHER!!! WAKE UP!!!" a juvenile voice yelled into my ear.

I sat straight up in bed, and stared at his face in amazement.  He could be so demanding at times.  The child latched his arms around my torso, pleasantly greeting me.  I smiled, and hugged my brother.  He pulled me out of bed and dashed out the door before informing me that breakfast was ready. I grumbled, but hoisted myself out of the bed.  I practically fell down the steps as I descended.  The smell of eggs greeted me upon entering the kitchen. I took the seat across from Mokuba and began to eat the meal that had been prepared for me. After ten minutes of silence I spoke.

"Mokuba, do you remember Sclera?" I asked.

He paused for some time before responding: "Yes, Seto, I do remember Blue-Eyes."

"I know you loved her and thought that we should be together, but that's not going to happen any more."

"I'm well aware of that," he snapped.  "You should have done wht I had advised you to do all along, and told her that you deeply cared for her; maybe then she wouldn't have left."

"Mokuba, I know I royally fucked up on that one, and your not the only living with the consequences, I am too."

"I'm sorry.  It's just a sensitive subject."

"I understand.  Would it crush you if it old you that I may have feelings for someone else?"

His eyes lit up and obtained a child-like sparkle.  "Who is it?"

"You remember that girl that you caught me with yesterday?  Her name is Sclera Marshal, and I think that I like her."

"I've been telling you to get a girlfriend for months, how would this crush me?"

"I just wanted to check with you before I did anything else."

"So are you going to ask her out?  Don't let this one turn into the same situation you had with 'Lera."

"I won't Mokuba.  I learned my lesson."

"You promise?"  

"I promise."

He smiled, and hugged me again.  I knew that I would have to bite the bullet.  I could not disappoint my little brother.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Tornado: Typical Kaiba.  Anything that has to do with his lil' bro, he'll stay true to his word.

DT: So what's going to happen next?  
Tornado: Why should I tell you?  R&R  


	10. Realizing the Game

Tornado: Hiya peeps!  Sorry it's been so long since I last posted.  School has been demanding.

DT: Thankies to all of the reviewers from last chapter.  Now, on with the fic.

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Mokuba's POV 

I knew my brother would not listen to anything that I had to say.  He never does.  The promise that he made me would crumble into the dust when everything was said and done.  I know the girl that he kissed last night.  Her face was one that no one could forget.  Surely I have not.  Blue-Eyes has come home.  

I know that my brother senses the similarities between the girl he believes she is and the girl she truly is.  These feelings that he feels towards Marshal are shadows of his feelings for Blue-Eyes.  All that this proves is that he loved Blue-Eyes with his whole heart, but never got the courage to tell her.

I didn't bother pointing out the obvious resemblance between the teens.  Her eyes still have that same azure tone, and her hair is still auburn brown.  Even her name has not changed even though her last name has.  For the IQ that my brother possesses, he is an idiot when it comes to the past.  

After my brother left for the office, I gave the chauffeur a little bit of work for the day.  I climbed into the Lincoln Town Car (since Seto had taken the limo to work), and gave him Sclera's address (which I had looked up).  She lived in the upper class section of downtown, the section where all of the fancy hotels and restaurants are.  It cost a lot to live there.  

We pulled in front of a towering building, and if I had to guess, I would say it was at least eighty stories.  I slipped out of the car, ordering the driver to find a place to park.  My sneakers hardly made a sound as I scurried up the marble steps and lobby floor.  The elevator was gold with red carpeting, a combination made for the rich and powerful.  Personally I preferred blue and gold or blue and silver.  

Her apartment took up the whole top floor, and it had a balcony that set the perimeter.  I knocked on the white door, and waited several seconds for an answer.  A tall, brunette girl answered the door with an expression of shock painted on her perfect face. 

"Mokuba, what are you doing here?" she asked.

"Hello, Sclera.  May I come in?" I replied politely. 

She nodded hesitantly before stepping aside.  The flat was beautifully decorated in the theme of black and blue.  All of the metal was silver.  A tall man with graying blonde hair exited one of the rooms.

"Is everything alright?" he asked.

"Yes, Henry.  Could you give us a moment?"  Sclera asked.

He nodded as he eyed me up.  I stood my ground, refusing to be intimidated.  HE soon left, and faced Sclera.

"I wanted to talk to you."

"How did  you know my name?"

"I should be asking you the same question."

She shrugged.  "You're the brother of a famous duelist, what can I say?  Now, how did you know mine."

"For starters, my brother told me.  Secondly, I recognized you, _Blue-Eyes."_

She fell silent. Her eyes turned towards the floor.  I could see the turmoil reflecting from her eyes.  I  placed my hand on her  shoulder after she had sat.  She buried her face.

"You need to tell him," I whispered softly.

"I can't," she replied in her hoarse voice.  

"Yes you can."

"No, Mokuba, I can't."

"Why not?" I asked allowing my impatience to shine.

"Because I don't want to!" she cried as she rose to her feet.  "I don't want to be the girl that ran away!  I don't want to be the girl that abandoned her friends when they needed her the most!  I don't want to be known as a deserter!"

After her last word, she collapsed in the chair   I heard small sobs escape her lips.  She made a feeble attempt to stifle them, but failed miserably.  I placed my arm over her shoulder.  /What could cause you this much pain?/

Seto's POV

/God dammit, does the work ever end?/  I hopelessly stared at the mountain of paperwork that controlled my desktop.   Everything from the stocks to the daily agenda.  If it existed, I could probably find it somewhere on my desk.  A knock reached my ears.

"Come in," I growled

A blonde entered the room.  She was wearing a gray business suit with a black button down shirt.  Her eyes traveled around the room  before staring into mine from behind silver frames.  I cocked an eyebrow, and waited for her to speak.

"You have a very nice office," she stated.

"What do you want? I have a lot of work to do."

"My name is Maria Fish, and I am here about the will your father left."

"That would be my **_step_**father."

"I'm sorry.  Apparently, your stepfather left the company in your care."  
"Yes, which is why I am here."  
"Correct, but what many of us failed to notice were the terms of that inheritance."

"I wasn't aware of any obligations I had to fulfill."

"There are two.  The first is that the company must make at least ten million dollars in profit, which it does.   The other states that you must keep your five advisory board members, and that is where we run into a tiny problem.  All five of those members have not been seen since your Battle City tournament. Would you mind explaining that to me?"

"I don't quite know how to explain that to you because frankly I have no idea."

"Well then, Mr. Kaiba, you had better come up with an explanation."

"You do realize that you could have introduced yourself as a cop."

"It was supposed to be undercover.  How did you know?"

"Business people don't comment about the offices, they get right to the chase."

She nodded before leaving.  After the door had closed, I threw my pen at it.  I had way too much shit to do without the police breathing down my neck.  After Gozaburo died, I had been the prime suspect.  I was innocent.  He had committed suicide.  And so now when my board members are missing, they look at me as well.

I shook my head and burrowed into the paper work.  The day did not include any sort of break other than a five second trip to the coffee machine.  Sometimes it was hard for my mind to focus on one task for long periods of time.  Today was one of those days.  My mind drifted in and out of thoughts and skipped across the line consciousness and unconsciousness.  Finally, the mountain had been reduced to a small hill.  I leaned back in my chair, allowing my eyes to fasten.

I rode the elevator in silence.  A small feeling of dread began to form in the pit of my stomach.  I always hated going to the top of the tower.  I wondered what he would do to me this time.  Would he beat me?  Would he whip me? I didn't know.  

The doors opened, and I stepped out of the safety the elevator provided.  I strolled up to a large, cherry door before knocking.  

"You may enter," a gruff voice replied.   

I took a deep breath and passed over the threshold.  A large man stood in front of the window, his eyes scanning the surroundings.   My mouth turned to cotton, and my knees began to shake. The scabs on my wounds presented themselves with a thumping sensation.  The man turned to face me.

"I think that you have completed your training.  Now you can make a good business man.  I'm leaving my company in your stead.  I hope you will take good care of it."

"Wait, you can't just give the company to me.  Nobody's going to like that."

"They won't have a choice.  It's time to see how well I have trained you.  Goodbye and take care of my company."

I stood there, attempting to process what I had just heard.  The reality hit me as he stood right at the window.  He smiled at me before launching himself out of the window.

Sclera's POV

Mokuba had left an hour ago after he promised not to tell Seto.  In my mind, I ran through all of the possibilities for my situation.  There weren't a lot of them.  After examining each one, I decided that it was best if I don't say anything.  It was getting harder for me to remain quiet.

Sunday passed in a blur, and before I knew it, I was striding through the school hallways.  Joey and Yugi were already in the classroom, but they were not alone.  Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Seto's head buried in a thick book.  I waved to the boys before going to my seat.

"How was your weekend?" Seto asked quietly.

"It was boring.  Nothing like Friday night."

I saw him smirk at the pages.  A satisfied feeling washed over my body.  Even if it had been a devilish smirk, it was still a smirk.  And a god damned sexy one at that.  I continued to unpack my stuff. /At least he's being friendly to me./

"Did you get a new laptop yet?"

"I ordered one, but it hasn't come in yet."

"About Friday night..."

"Yeah?"

"What exactly was that?"

"That was never to be mentioned to anyone else along with the afternoon."

"I'll give you that.  Are we supposed to do anything about it or pretend it never happened?"

"I don't know.  That all depends on you."

"Well, I'm asking you," he replied, looking away from the pages for the first time.

"And I said 'I don't know.'" 

Joey must have seen that we were talking because he came flying back to my seat.  I was staring straight into Seto's orbs and was quickly losing myself.  His eyes weren't cold and glazed with that familiar icy barricade, but there was actually emotion present.  Electric pulses ran through my body, and if Joey had not been standing right behind me, I would have kissed him.  

"Is there a problem, Kaiba?" he asked threateningly.

"I don't know, mutt, you'll have to ask Sc-Marshal."

"Everything's fine Joey.  I'll be over in a few."

He continued to glare at Seto as he walked away.  I sighed to myself before turning to the brunette beside me.

"Do you have to tease him like that?"

"I don't know if you understand this, but he wants to get in your pants."

"Like someone else here doesn't," I shot.

His face turned a vibrant shade of red.  I didn't realize what I had said until the words had escaped my lips.

"I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to say that."

"Well, you did.  I may be attracted to you, but I don't want to get in your pants."

"You sure have acted like you did over the past day or two," I hissed feeling the blood begin to boil.

"Well, I don't.  And if you're going to stand up for the mutt, you better come prepared."

"Stop calling him a mutt!" I yelled rising to my feet.

"I can call him whatever I want to call him!" he returned in the same voice as he joined me.

"And why is that?  What gives you the right to do that?"

"Because he is beneath me," he hissed.

"Morally or statistically?"

he didn't say anything else.  He just stood in front of me with flaming eyes.  Once again I stared into his sapphire orbs.  It began to mystify my mind.  The sea of blue contrasted with the abyss of shadows.  

Two pairs of hands grabbed my shoulders.  I saw the pointy tip of Yugi's hair step between Kaiba and me.  he spoke to the taller teen, but Seto's eyes never left mine.  I allowed the boys to direct me away from them.  It was odd.  One minute we could be getting along, and the next we could be on the brink of warfare.  Joey sat me down in a chair and Tristan stood in front of me.

"As much as I'dve loved ta see yah take Kaiba down, I'm afraid dat you'll get in even more trouble than yah were on Friday.  I don fell like takin another trip tad a councilor's office."

"I don't either Joey."

Yugi had returned from his peacemaking expedition.  He stared at me with a semi-aggravated look.

"What is it with you guys and not getting along with Kaiba?"

"Yug, I don think anybody gets along wit Kaiba."

"Sclera, what was that fight about?"

"Yeah, I'd love ta know dat too."

"I was telling him not to call Joey a mutt."

"And dat got im riled up?  Yug, I don think dat guy's stable."

"Joey!"

We laughed and talked for a while before departing to first period.  The morning continued to flash by.  Soon I was scurrying to lunch trying not get ran over by Joey.  I watched as he loaded up his plate with anything and everything that the cooks had.  He knew each one by name and the amazing part is that they knew him.   Behind me, Tristan burdened his plate with the same stuff that Joey had.  I laughed at the pair as they stuffed their faces while walking to the table.  Tea made a disgusted face as they sat down and shoveled the food in larger quantities.

"I think I just lost my appetite," she stated.

"I'll take your food!" Tristan said.

"No way, man, I get it first."  

"I predict that they will die because they killed each other trying to get some food," I stated.

"Nah, I think one will kill the other, but later die trying to get some food," Yugi said as he watched the two of them argue.

Yugi and I were taking all of their untouched food and shoving as many sweets as we could into our mouths.  Once we had stole of their good treats we returned to our normal lunches, pretending as though nothing had ever happened. Tea laughed at us, but didn't say a word to the bickering couple.  Once they finally saw that Tea had already eaten everything on her plate, they wentt to finish their lunch.

"Hey where's my honeybun?!" Joey cried.

"You ate it, Joey, remember?" Yugi said.

"I did? When?"

"When you were walking to the table," I piped.

"Yeah, Joey," Tea insisted.

"Oh, damn."

"Hey, all my sweets are gone too.  Who did this?" Tristan said eyeing Tea, Yugi, and me.

"It was the sweet little Easter bunny that got hungry," I said quickly before sprinting out of the cafeteria.

Joey and Tristan leapt out their chairs and tore off after me.  I was having trouble keeping myself from falling because my shoes were anything but a pair of Nikes.  I just rounded the corner when I smacked into something.

Seto's POV

After my morning incident with Marshal, my day could not have gone any worse.  The teacher caught me sleeping five times in class, and if I had not been one of the most powerful people in Domino, he probably would have given me detention. It didn't quite make sense to me why I had reacted that fast to Marshal's words.  In the back of my mind, the little kid that I once was calling out to me.  Dragon didn't exist anymore.  He had killed along with Seto Sarassi.  I wasn't that kid anymore, and yet his voice still accuses me in the midst of night. 

I stayed in the classroom while the rest of the kids left for lunch.  I pondered the things that had happened over the course of my life.  It was all one big timeline of doom.  /Nothing can happen to me now that I haven't already seen.  The next person to leave my life will be…  That day is far away./

I finally left the classroom to prevent my mind from thinking about the future and the past.  I was just about to round the corner when a streak of blue and pink smashed into me.  I nearly fell to the ground, but I heard the girl, whoever she may be, land with a thump. I looked down to yell at her, but the words failed in my throat when her cobalt eyes stared up at me.  I felt the feeling creeping back into my heart.  An image flashed through my mind.  

A small girl was climbing tree.  As she reached for the next limb, the branch she was on gave way.  I watched as she tumbled to the ground, and rushed to her side to find a pair of big blue eyes staring back with a smile.

"I'm sorry, Kaiba.  I didn't mean to run into you," the girl said quickly.

"Don't worry about it, Sclera.  Here give me your hand," I answered holding my hand out for her.

She looked into my eyes with furrowed brows, but soon accepted my outstretched hand.  I pulled her up, but somehow she tripped and fell into my arms. I stared into her eyes as they peered at me, and I felt the ice slowly dripping away.  My face inched towards hers, but was interrupted by the faint sound of sneakers.  I saw the two idiots round the corner, and I shoved the girl in their direction.  She seemed taken by surprise because her mouth was slightly ajar.  

"Keep your bitch on a leash.  Not everyone will be as nice as I was when you smack into them."

I could not stand the hurt in her eyes, so I turned away.  I glanced back to see the mutt with his arm over Sclera's shoulder escorting her back to the lunch room.  Taylor was glaring at me, but I turned and kept walking.

"Kaiba!" a male voice called.  "Kaiba, stop right there!"

I turned to come face-to-face with Taylor.  He was shorter than I was, but even if he'd been taller I wouldn't have cared. He glared at me making a feeble attempt to intimidate me.  Even when his glare failed, his confidence didn't deflate.  

"What is it between you and Sclera?  Don't give me that bullshit nothing.  I want to know," he hissed.

"You're barking up the wrong tree.  I see the way you look at her and the way you treat her, you and the mutt both.  Incase you haven't realized this, I'll tell you: you have no chance."

"Oh and you think that you do? How could you when all you do is push her away?  At least Joey and I treat her right."

"News flash, she won't go out with losers like you."

"And a news flash to you Kaiba, she won't go out with an asshole," he growled before turning away.

I watched carefully as he stormed off.  "She won't go out with an asshole."  i knew how true that statement was.

Sclera's POV

After Seto had pushed me away yet again, I began to think that it was hopeless.  I could never turn him back into the person that he was before.  Dragon was too far gone, only Kaiba remained.  

I had been so close to receiving another kiss.  I wonder, had Tristan and Joey not arrived when they did, would it have had a different outcome.  If they had arrived earlier, would he have helped me up?  If they had arrived later, would they have caught us in a kiss?  I would never know.

I was tired of playing the cat and mouse game.  It was so frustrating to be close to him one moment and in the cold the next.  I walked into math class with my head inclined to the ground.  Ryou looked up as slumped into the chair next to him.  His chocolate eyes surveyed my face.

"What happened to you?" he asked.

"Seto.  I just can't figure him out.  One moment he feels one way and the next he feels a totally different one.  Like today, I was running away from Joey and Tristan (Yugi and I ate their pastries), and suddenly, I smack right into him.  He's not an ass about it, he actually helps me up, and then just when we were about to kiss (some way or another I ended up in his arms) Tristan and Joey come flying around the corner.  The next thing I know he's telling them to 'keep their bitch on a leash'  Do you get that?"

He sat there, trying to form a conclusion from the facts that I had given him and his previous experiences.  I could tell he had a theory, but was unsure of the validity of it.  

"Perhaps, he feels more comfortable when others are not around, or he could not want to admit that he is attracted to you." 

The teacher walked in, allowing me time to mull over the two theories that Ryou had presented.  Both were valid, but I began to think that it was a combination between the two.  I remembered the look in Seto's eyes as he stared into mine.  There was want and need blended into one.  I had felt his hot breath as I inched towards his face. 

Math ended and I was jogging to homeroom.  Joey met me at the door.  Tristan, Tea, and Yugi were sitting at a cluster of desks.  They smiled at me as I walked in.  I struck a pose earning a laugh from everyone in the classroom.  Even Kaiba, who probably thought that I couldn't see him had chuckled or at least smiled.  I sat on my chair backwards so I could face the four teens in front of me.

"I'm ready ta duel anyone dat thinks they stand a chance," Joey announced.

"Stand a chance against what?" Tristan inquired playfully.

"Hey, watch it.  Joey Wheeler is a great duelist.  I made it to da Duelist Kingdom _and_ Battle City finals, so ha."

"You think you can take on anyone in this room?" I asked.

"Oh no, I don't think, I know."

"Try me on for size,"  I challenged.

"Sorry, but I don wanna have ta whip your butt in front of all these people, especially since you're da new girl."

"I think you'll have your hands full when you see what I have in store for you."

Several people began to gather around to see us duel.  It took no more than twenty minutes to wipe out all four thousand of Joey's life points.  Some of his moves belonged to that of an armature.

"You may be good Joey, but not good enough."

"Aight, yah beat fair and square.  Where'd yah learn ta duel like dat?"

"I taught myself.  Once I figured out the rules it was no big deal.  Besides, it runs in my blood."

"Yeah, Yug's grandpa taught me.  Dat's where I learned about the heart of the cards."

"I believe in something similar to the heart of the cards, except it is a bit different."

"What do you believe in?"

"I'll tell you another time.  Come on.  Let's get out of this hell-hole"

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Tornado: I tried to make this chapter long to make up for the length between updates.  R&R.  

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	11. Sunday in the Park

Tornado: hiya peeps.  Sorry it's been so long since I last updated.  I was on vacation, then my computer had a virus, and then the Internet didn't work.  So, yeah.

DT: We've also been up to our eyeballs in homework.

Tornado: Can't teachers see that we have lives!!!

DT: Thanx to our reviewers for reviewing, and now on with the fic.

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Sclera's POV

I'd been living in Domino City for a month, and there was still no routine in my schedule.  Monday through Thursday was completely devoted to school and Friday and Saturday nights were always spent in the restaurant.  Sunday was my only day to relax.  I began spending many Sundays at the park just wondering aimlessly around.  It was my release from the world around me.

The weather had finally begun to feel like fall as October waned.  The chilly air wrapped around my body strolled down a path of the park.  It was a path that I had become very familiar with.  It was nearly hidden beneath the dying grass and fallen leaves, but my feet knew the path from the first time I had walked it in September.  The once green leaves had now been set ablaze by the season.  It was truly a beautiful sight.

The path suddenly disappeared and the concrete began. The clearing held a small paved plaza with a large fountain in the middle.  The fountain was not a sculpture, but just a rather decorated pole.  Several stone benches were placed strategically facing the waterfall, but one lone soul sought refuge from the bustling city in this opposite world.

He was hunched over a tablet facing away from the focal point.   The scratching of his pencil could scarcely be heard above the low whistling the wind created or the tumbling of the leaves.  His long black coat lay abandoned on the ground along with a leather briefcase.  I had to smile.

"So this is where teenage businessmen go when the world becomes too much," I said.

"Obviously because you're here as well," he replied without facing me.  "This your day off?"

"The one and only.  All the other days are dedicated to school or work."

"I know the feeling."

"What are you doing?" I asked curiously.

"Drawing," he replied simply.

"Drawing what?  I don't see anything worth drawing out here," I informed him looking around.

"No, you're right.  But what exists in nature is sometimes not as impressive as what exists in the mind's eye."

I leaned over his shoulder attempting to see what he was sketching.  I felt my mouth drop open as I caught sight of a beautiful dragon with a giant ball of what resembled lightening forming in its mouth.  It took me several moments before my mind classified the beast as the Blue Eyes White Dragon and even longer to notice a shadowy figure standing directly at the front of the monster.  The figure was male with an odd turban-like hat and a flowing cape.  His eyes were set forward into a tightened glare, and his hand raised as if commanding the opposing beast to cease its attack.  The scene was so familiar as though I had once witnessed it within a forgotten dream.  I attempted to shake the feeling, but it became even more prominent within my heart.

"Is there something wrong, Miss Marshal?" Seto asked.

"Miss Marshal?  Why so formal?" I shot back.

"To insure that your mind began to move forward once more instead of being in reverse for an eternity," he replied with a slight smirk on his face.

I forced my body not to smack the look off his face.  I glared back with my fiercest eyes not faltering once when his gaze packed the same ferocity.  I watched as the wall of ice frosted his eyes providing an opaque shield to his emotions.  I felt my own shield of fire rose to guard my own weaknesses.  And yet it was not in place before the sword of pain stabbed my heart at the frosting of his orbs.  Had I been a more open woman, tears would probably have spilled from my eyes, but since I am not the type of woman, there was not one hint of the sting that his actions caused.  Or at least I hope…

Seto's POV

Once again our staring contest had begun.  This always happened whenever there was even the slightest disagreement between us.  It was a test of willpower and defensiveness.  No matter how hard I tried I could not prevent my shield from materializing in my eyes, but it seemed as though she could not stop hers either.  For a short moment, just before her armor fell into place, I could have sworn that I saw glimmer of hurt, but it disappeared just as fast as it appeared.  

"Fine, you win," I stated, turning back to my drawing.

"Okay," she said uncertainly.  "What's my prize?"

"You have the displeasure of my company."

"At least you didn't make me say it."

I snorted at her wise crack.  She was the only one that I allowed to amuse me besides Mokuba. I thought of my life before the orphanage and remembered how much I used to laugh.  But that was no longer my life.  There would be no more events, which caused me to roll on the floor laughing so hard that I nearly wet myself.  No, there would be no more of those times.  

I'm not sure when exactly she sat down beside me, but I felt her hand rest on my shoulder, causing me to look in her direction.  Our faces were inches apart.  My head turned away from her.  She said nothing as her hand played with the material of my black blazer.  The whole world seemed to stop as we sat there, for there were no disturbances of the still air.  The longer that I sat next to her, the surer I became that I was going to become extremely close to her over the course of the weeks to come.  

The shrill ringing of my cell phone broke the perfect serenity.  I answered it and spent the better part of three minutes listening to an idiot babble about the problems that were occurring in Kaiba Corps.  _Precisely what I wanted to do today.  Fix the goddamned computers and listen to idiots' apologies._  

"I'll be there in five minutes," I barked, cutting him off in mid-sentence and hanging up the phone quickly.

"Let me guess, the world is in trouble and you must go save it?" she asked innocently.

"Yeah.  The world cannot function properly unless I am there acting like a dictator yelling commands to everyone.  I hate my life."

She did not say anything as she stared at my face.  She carried a look of sympathy and concern.  _She actually gives a damn,_ I thought rising from my seat.  She stood as well, but still refused to speak.  I observed her as she tied my tie, which I had untied the moment I'd left the building earlier that morning.  She glanced up at me once she had finished, allowing her hand to brush over my cheek.

"You do know that there are things to live, right?" she whispered.  

"Not like anybody would care if I died.  They might actually have a party."

"That's not true.  People would care.  I know that at least two would care."

"Okay, so my brother, but who else?  Not even Yugi would care.  Actually he'd probably be hosting the party."

"No if anyone would be hosting a party it would be Joey.  Who else would care?  I would."

I stopped.  She actually did give a damn, even after all the shit I put her through.  My mind had begun to swirl.  _She cares?  Since when?  And why after all the shit that I put her through at school and at her restaurant and at my house.  Jesus, I can't let her get too close or else I'll destroy her._

"Sclera, you, like everyone else, will eventually hate.  I can guarantee that," I informed her before turning away. 

I didn't look back as I walked off, but a vivid image of her standing there watching me walk away played through my mind.  My heart wanted to turn around and hold her tightly, but my brain told me that only one thing would emerge from that; she would end up hurt, and I would once again be banished to the shadows with even more damage inflicted on my heart than before.  So I continued my journey back to the hellhole that I had crawled out of that morning, but I was different.  I was colder, and I wanted Sclera Marshal even more.

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Tornado: How'd you like the chappie?

DT: MORE ACTION!!!!!!

Tornado: Hush you!!!  Your action is coming.  Anyway R&R.       


	12. Thinking About the Past

Tornado: hiya!! Srry it took once again a long time to post, but I was studying for my finals.

DT:mumbling pointless, worthless, no-good, dirty, rotten…..

Tornado:0.0! Ignore her. Thanx to all those that reviewed. And now on with the fic!!

Sclera's POV

It had been hell to watch him walk away from me, but then again it was just as Joey had warned; he is a selfish bastard. That truth began eating my insides away. Maybe things would have been different if I had stayed, maybe not. There are some things that you will never know. This was just another one of those things.

I began my journey home. I thought about the present and a bit of the future, but mostly, I thought about the past and what I once had. I'd always been able to find a friend within him. He, it seemed, was always around when shit hit he fan. He was always my shoulder to cry on, even if he was in pain as well. He always was there to listen, even if he had something to say. He was always there to protect me, even if I refused protection. He was the friend that you grew-up with and remained friends until the end of time. "Friends to the end" definitely applied to us, but when I turned nine I began to see him in a new light.

All girls like guys even at the stage where they still believe in cooties. I have come to the remarkable discovery that cooties do exist. Once you're around guys long enough, you just can't seem to get enough of them. I grew-up with a twin brother, my parents' best friends' sons, and the four other neighbor boys that surrounded me, so I was infected with the guy disease (aka cooties) long before I knew what it was. That didn't bother me. I was content to romp around in the mud and play football and soccer or run around in the woods searching for worms or anything that they could find. That was me, the tomboy. I was lucky and got parents that didn't care.

Even though I was a tomboy, there was still a bit of girl in me. I hated to admit it, but I thought that Seto was the cutest thing I ever saw. I realized this when I was nine years old. Of course I was young and stupid and never told him anything about it, which betrayed him because we swore to tell each other everything no matter what it was. That was my secret. One day we had a sleepover at Seto's house. We played truth or dare. It wasn't a big deal; we'd done it many times before, but somebody decided that they were going to play matchmaker. I don't remember who, or I forgot so I didn't proceed to kill them later, but somebody dared Seto and me to kiss. Perhaps I should thank whoever that goddamned person was, but at that time I was on a murderous rampage. Seto got me calmed down by saying it was no big deal. Long story short, we did kiss. It was one of those little pecks that you expect from a kid that age. I wanted more.

That's how it all started. When we were ten, our fathers died in a car accident on their way to work. They car-pooled because it was cheaper, easier, and it gave them a chance to talk. It was my birthday, the twenty-sixth of December and my brother's tomorrow (I had been born right before midnight). I was at Seto's house when I found out. I can still remember the policeman coming to the door and knocking ever so lightly. His somber face was all I needed to see before I knew what happened. I ran into his room and cried for hours. I cried for two reasons: one because my father was dead and the other because I would have to leave my best friend forever. My brother didn't help matters. The final straw was pulled when he stormed into my room screaming about how I'm not his sister because I look nothing like any of my family. That night, after I had seen Seto off to an orphanage, I ran away. I too found myself at an orphanage where they took me in and gave me food and shelter. I was there a total of six months before Takura Lireal, the vice president of Kaiba Corps, adopted me. His ex-wife had just won custody of his son, and he felt that he needed someone who was smart, wasn't afraid to throw their weight around, and commanding, a natural born leader.

I suppose I was a good candidate because I was girl in a boy's orphanage, who had gained the respect of the boys around me. When I first saw Takura, I was standing in the middle of fight circle, attempting to keep the biggest bully in the joint from clobbering one of my friends. He stood and watched me for many minutes as I dodged punches left and right and finally dropped the guy by wailing him in the nuts. I was a girl, so I was exempted from the common courtesy of not hit another man's sensitive parts. Everyone had gotten out of my way as I exited the circle. I saw Takura standing there, staring at me with his chilling cat green eyes. I glared back before turning away.

As many friends as I had at the orphanage, none of them compared to Seto. I was lonelier than I had ever been, even though I had more friends than ever before. I missed Mokuba too. That kid grew on me so fast. I found myself wondering what they could be doing right now. Had they been adopted yet? Were they healthy? Were they happy? All questions and never any answers. It was hell. I always had a piece of Seto with me though. Duel Monsters had been my passion since I was six, and in two years I had formed morals, rules, and strategy that seemed unbeatable. I taught Seto and Yugi these principles, but they were quickly forgotten. Just before I'd left, Seto had given me a card that I had been searching for called the Guardian Angel. He had one in his deck and wanted me to have it. In return I gave him one of my prized Fire Magicians. We both had pieces of one another. I would always find a deserted spot at the orphanage and stare at the card.

Takura decided to adopt me, and that's how I ended up at Kaiba Corps. Gozaburo Kaiba was close friends with Takura and thought that his son, Noah, and I could be great friends. I hated him. He was lazy and spoiled and cared about nothing but himself. Gozaburo had been talking about adopting a son to push Noah, but that failed when Noah got into his accident. I, unfortunately, helped plan the program that digitized Noah's mind and trapped him in the computer for an eternity. Gozaburo's wife, May, never knew what her husband was doing to save her son. The day she found out, she was cleaning my room. I had just nmow taken residence in the Kaiba mansion, and I'm sure that aroused questions in her mind, but she never asked. I remember walking into my room after slaving over a paper and typing endlessly on the computer to find her bawling all over my plans. When she looked at me, I saw the extreme hurt in her eyes. She asked me if I had came up with all of this. When I nodded she cried harder. "You will be just another one of their toys that they play with than toss disgracefully aside if you slip. Take my advice, get out while you still can," she had said. That night she committed suicide.

A week later Gozaburo adopted Seto. I was so happy when I saw Seto walk through the front door of the mansion. I had been listening to Takura debrie me on the end results of operation Noah, as they called it, when I felt something immediately latch onto my waist. I looked down to discover Mokuba gripping me like he was never going to let go. A few seconds later Seto entered, and I leaped into his arms. Takura and Gozaburo saw this and looked disapprovingly at us. Had I not been scared of them both, I would have flicked them off. The next two years were the worst I had ever been through. They forced us to pour ourselves into schoolwork, exhausting our bodies and minds. We were just thankful that they did not put Mokuba through the same shit. I drew my energy off of him. If he was not near passing out I was fine, and if he was I tried my damnedest to remove him from that state. He did the same for me. He was my life support for the longest time. He saved my life many a time, and I knew that I could never repay the debt. He was also my nurse, dressing my wounds whenever I received them. I did the same for him because I could not let him neglect himself to care for me. He was always with me whenever I had to go to the hospital and I never slept when he was in that boat. I basically depended on him to keep me alive.

After two years, we had both had enough shit. On May fourth, Gozaburo "fell" out of his from his office on the one hundredth floor of Kaiba Corps. Seto was unaccounted for during this time, but was never charged with anything due to lack of evidence. Two weeks later, Takura came home drunk and found me in the kitchen. He rambling about how he was going to kill Seto for killing Gozaburo, and I simply pointed that there was no evidence that he had killed him. Takura charged at me and I spun around wielding the knife that I had grabbed for protection. I hadn't looked where I was aiming. I realized that when he charged, the knife had become lodged in his throat. At first I panicked, but I ddid my civic duty and tried to save him while calling the ambulance. I knew before the EMT's told me that he wasn't going to live. There was a huge investigation and everything that I had worked so hard to keep hidden was uncovered. I did the only thing that I knew, I ran away. I wish now that I had stayed, but I made my choice and ran. I now have to live with my decision and wonder what would have happened if I had actually stayed.

Tornado: YEAH!! Another chappie is up! R&R.


	13. What Have I Become?

Tornado: Hey people! Sorry it's been so long since I updated, but hopefully I'll be able to update more often. On with the fic.

Sclera's POV 

"Hey, Sclera, we should go shopping!!" Tea exclaimed at lunch.

I was eating, spacing off in my own little world when her voice sounded through my ears. My head snapped in her direction. Did she actually mean that she wanted to go shopping with me?

"You mean it?" I asked.

"Yeah! The frost king dance is coming up, and I still need to buy a dress."

"I don't have a date for the dance."

"Neither do I, but we're all going as friends, so I thought that you might want to join us."

"That'd be awesome! It's been a while since I went shopping. I know a great store that you can get gorgeous dresses in. It's a tad expensive, but you can rent the dresses rather than buying them."

"Did I hear something about a shopping trip?" a female voice inquired from behind.

We both turned to see Mai Valentine standing behind us. She looked absolutely stunning. It had been five years since I had seen my cousin, but she had not lost the air of elegance. She greeted the group with a series of nods and a hug for Joey and Yugi. The table seemed taken aback by the gesture to Joey.

"Okay," Tristan began, "I know Yugi's your cousin, but the last time I checked you and Joey were in no way related."

"Didn't he tell you? We're dating," she replied with a smile.

The table gasped. I was even surprised at the girl's choice in boyfriends. Mai had always fallen for the rich, preppy types. Not the ruff, punk boys. For the first time she noticed that I was at the table. Her eyes widened slightly at the sight me. I shot her a silencing look. Tea was the first to realize what she was staring at.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Mai, I forgot to introduce you to Sclera. Mai, this is Sclera Marshal, she's relatively new to the town. Sclera this is Mai Valentine."

"Pleased to meet," I replied, extending a hand.

She accepted with a questioning gaze. She saw right through my name as she looked into my eyes. I smiled, gently chewing on my lower lip. Never had I been this nervous around one of my family. She still seemed uneasy, but changed the subject anyway.

"So, this shopping trip, when and where?" she asked.

"I have to work on Friday and Saturday night, but Sunday and Saturday day I'm free," responded.

"I got a date on Saturday night and I'm going to a spa that day, so Sunday would be preferable," Mai stated. "Tea, does Sunday work for you?"

"Sunday's perfect. Lera, you said something about a great store to shop at?"

"Yeah, I get all of my formal wear there. It's called 'Regal Impressions.' I know the guy that designs dresses. We're friends. He'll custom design anything that you want, and he'll even make make-up, shoe, and jewelry suggestions. I bet I can sweet-talk him into doing our hair and make-up for us. It may come at a small price, but I think it might be worth it."

"I've been there before! They had beautiful dresses and the help was amazing. They made me a dress in the color that I wanted. You see, I fell in love with this dress that was all beaded and lacey, but they only had it in red and black, and they made it in purple for me. The designer is a cool guy. That'd be a great place to go," Mai said enthusiastically.

"So it's a date then," Tea said proudly. "Who's gonna drive?"

"I'll drive," I answered. "I have a nice sedan that has plenty of space for all of us and any purchase that we make."

"Where do you live? Tea and I will meet you there."

"High Tower Penthouses, top floor, apartment L8. I'll leave a note at the front desk that you'll be coming. They'll be able to direct you if you have any problems."

"Sounds good. High Tower Penthouses? That's a top dollar area. All of the business headquarters and fancy restaurants are down there. You're parents must be rich," the blonde commented.

"They were," I whispered, referring to all of my "parents" that had accommodated me over my life.

Mai pretended not to catch the last part, but a look of understanding glimmered in her eyes. She knew that it was a subject that I wanted to avoid. She said a few words to Joey before she left. I was not at ease with my mind. It kept screaming that this was a bad idea. Have you ever had your mind tell you that something was definitely not a good idea, but you did it anyway, just too see what would happen? Well, that was the situation I was in, and I was not listening to the little voice, which was probably a bad thing.

I sat there, staring off into space, thinking about the long Sunday ahead. Something irked me. I felt like I was being watched. Joey, Tea, Tristan, and Yugi were all deep in conversation about something or other. I gazed around the lunch, attempting to find the source of the gaze. Finally, I succeeded. Sitting in the far, shadowy corner, all by himself, was Seto Kaiba.

Seto's POV 

Watching Sclera Marshal had become part of my daily routine. The girl captured my attention like no other had. She was as mysterious as an unsolved mystery. During the night, I searched deeper into her murky past, but she seems to have appeared out of nowhere. She was placed in the care of the Marshals shortly after March of 2001, but any records before that were missing. She owned four vehicles: a sliver Mercedes Benz CLK 350, a black Mercedes Benz SL 500, a blue Ford Mustang Cobra, and a blue and sliver Suzuki V-Storm. Not your average cars for a teenage girl. She owned a penthouse apartment in High Tower Penthouses, apartment number L8. She owned eight of Marshal's seafood and steak restaurants, placed all across the country. She inherited a three-million-dollar beach home in Ocean City, MD, and spent ¾ of her summer there. Her favorite type of music was rock and her favorite band was Three Days Grace, whom she saw at a large concert in Philadelphia, PA along with many other bands including Staind and Finger Eleven. I had searched into the deepest aspects of her life that not many knew about. If you asked my sassy, opinionated computer, she'd say that I'd become obsessed.

I was starting to realize the truth in that statement as I longingly gazed at the beauty. Yes, I know, the words sound strange even coming from my mind. I wanted her. I don't know why because I think to become dependent on another person is absolutely insane, but I wanted her. Something about the way ignored the guys who threw themselves at her feet, or maybe it was the way she casually defeated everyone that challenged her at Duel Monsters and acted as though it was no big deal, or perhaps the way she gracefully walked to her car after school, long brown hair billowing behind her, cerulean eyes obscured by dark shades. She was absolutely beautiful. I knew that she was attracted to me from my previous encounters, but I could not bring myself to ask her out on a date. My brother had been on me for weeks, and still I cannot do it.

I suddenly realized that she was staring right at me. I jerked out of my daydream, and looked away blushing. _Why am I blushing? Do I care if she saw me? I sure as hell do not! Why should I? Okay so maybe I am a bit obsessed with her, but who can blame me? I mean, look at that figure, those eyes, that beautiful… WHAT THE FUCK AM I THINKING!!!_ I gathered my stuff and stormed down the hall. I could not allow anybody to affect me the way she was. It was absolutely out of character for me to be falling for someone. _No, scratch that. It was out of character for me to find a girl attractive._ _There, that's more suiting for the situation._ Even as I thought these words, I knew I was only bull shitting myself. I had spent a lot of time with the girl and found our personalities to quite similar. We were motivated, highly intelligent, reclusive, and deprived of a stable home-life. We had to work to maintain our stature and assets while attending school.

I was fumbling with the lock on my locker when the click of heels caught my attention. I turned to see Alicia Spinet walking toward me with a seductive smile on her face. I rolled my eyes and turned back to my lock. She came up, leaning beside my locker, intently watching me. The first three buttons of her top were undone, giving me a perfect view of her cleavage, and she occasionally licked her lips. I rolled my eyes willing my fingers to undo the lock.

"Is there something you want Alicia?" I asked, annoyed.

"I want you to be my date to Frost King."

"No," I answered automatically.

"Why not?"

"Because you're a slut, and I do not go with sluts."

"I'm not a slut!"

"You're standing there with the first three buttons of your shirt undone, which gives any person who even glances your way a view of your cleavage, you have sparkly pink spikes, which is absolutely unseasonable, and you've altered your skirt so that it barely covers your ass. Now, how can you say that you are not a slut?"

"I don't go through guys like sluts do."

"You had two boyfriends last week. That's more than the amount of girlfriends I've had in three months."

"Will you just go with me?"

I was about to reply when I spotted Marshal, gliding down the hall surrounded by her gang. Her long hair flipped over her shoulder, and her laugh echoed through the hallway, sweet and addicting. My eyes locked with hers and stayed that way for many minutes. She had stopped walking and raised her chin in acknowledgement before continuing down the hall. A realizing look crossed Alicia's face as she watched me.

"You like Marshal," she whispered.

"Yes," I replied without thinking.

"She's nothing but trouble. Her, the mutt, and pointy-head are no good and beneath you."

"She has more money than both of your parent's combined, and she works for every penny of it. She is a hundred times more respectable than you are because she doesn't parade herself in front of guys, and her grades are a lot better than yours. So what can you offer me that she can't?"

"Sex. Lots of good, guilt-free sex."

"I think that if I'm going to have sex, I'd rather it not be guilt-free," I stated calmly, walking away.

I didn't have to look back to know that she was glaring after me. More importantly, I didn't care. It struck me that I had told her that I fancied Marshal, but once again I found that I didn't care. I knew that she'd spread rumors about us being involved in a relationship or sleeping together. The only person that I could see that bothering would be Sclera, but I've spent enough time with her to know that even she's not that sensitive. Whatever Spinet did one thing was assured: it would include 70% of the student body.

My English and science classes seemed to be the shortest ever, and before I knew it, I was right outside my homeroom. I heard the sweet voice of Sclera coming down the, chattering away with another student. The moment I heard that English accent, I knew that she was speaking to Ryou Bakura. Bakura and I were on neutral grounds. We neither liked nor disliked each other. I hadn't spoken to him in nearly three years or at least not about anything of importance. I had ran into him a few times during the Battle City Tournament, but none of the situations allowed for any catching up. He escorted Sclera to her class before his eyes caught mine. He stared for several minutes before approaching me.

"You can't keep breaking her heart and expect her to be there when you finally pull yourself together. I don't know what you're problem is, but I know that Blue Eyes would not want you to live nor act this way. Do yourself a favor: decide," he whispered before continuing down the hall.

"Decide what?" I called after him.

He stopped, turned, and quietly replied, "What you want." After that he left.

I stood in the hallway with my mouth slightly ajar. It was out of character for me, but it was also out of character for the albino to speak to me. His words rang through my mind, particularly the part about Blue Eyes. I thought of the words that Taylor spoke to me long ago: "She won't go out with an asshole." I was torn between two girls. One that I had known all of my life, loved since before I knew what love was, who had stuck beside me through thick and thin, and another, whose past was an utter mystery, whose beauty was not picked off the trees of an apple orchard, but instead dug from the deep depths off dirt in an unpolished form, ruff but beautiful, who remained civil though tested with many trails of uncivilized behavior. Bakura's words struck a nerve, whose grave lie too deep for any drill to penetrate, deep within the iron core of Earth. It was indeed correct. Blue Eyes would not want me to be like this, but how could I change? After all of the people who bore my trust and abused the ability? After all of the pain that the loss of loved ones provoked? After all of the nights, which held the suffering of two innocent people, whose trust lies in one another?

I thought about my behavior since Blue Eyes had left, and it had steadily worsened each day. The way I treated others was the remnants of my "training". I do not treat Wheeler the way do because I hate him that badly but rather because I envy the friends he has, the people that trust him and hold his trust with respect, the sister that was willing to stand by his side even if the situation seems hopeless. I treat Sclera the way I do because she could possibly become another weak point of mine. I already had one, and that was one too many. I also felt like I was betraying Blue Eyes. I felt the same emotion every time I looked at an attractive girl, finding myself longing for her. My heart has always belonged to her, but lately that seems to be changing. For the CEO of one of the largest technological companies, I really didn't care for changes to my personal life. Maybe this would be an exception.

I made my way to my seat near the back, thinking about how Blue Eyes would have wanted me to live my life. She would have wanted me to protect Mokuba and keep him happy, to work my hardest to accomplish everything that I wanted, but, most importantly, she would have wanted me to be happy. I honestly could not say that with my current life I was happy. I missed the spontaneity I once had, the fun times that I experienced, the friends that I had, and, above all, the love that I gave to a certain girl. I made myself a vow. Starting tomorrow, I'm going to find the person that I used to be. I'm not going to be a slave to my work. I'm not going to be an untouchable jerk. I'm not going to be alone anymore. All these changes will take awhile to make, but eventually they will all be made. I glanced over at Sclera sitting laughing with her friends. _Step one: get close to that girl._

Tornado: Yay! Another chappie!

DT: Are Yugi and Mai really cousins?

Tornado: Who knows, but they kinda look alike. You know, purple eyes and they both have the lightning bolt bang thingy going on. Anyway, R&R.


	14. Sunday Shopping and Past Relations

Tornado: hiya peeps. Thankx to all the people who reviewed and now on with the fic

Sclera's POV>

Sunday had come upon me fast. The week was uneventful besides the peculiar increase of a certain blue-eyed-boy's conversation level. He was a bit more open, actually saying "hi" to me in passing and answering any questions I had in any of my lessons. Although he was more prone to accept me, my companions remained in his ill regards. Then again I suppose that will never change.

I sat quietly in the dining room, working on the payroll for my employees. I did this myself to disabuse the constant error, which my last accountant had done. I momentarily looked out the massive window, whose curtains were spread to shed light on the table. The scene before me seemed as though it was from spring, but one step into the bitter winds could change one's opinion. Automatically, my eyes were drawn to an impressive tower jutting into the sky's massive domain. "KC" was the insignia that it bore, but I had already known that.

A small knock came at the door, and I rose to answer. Henry took the day off to "enjoy the wonders of winter." I had translated that to he had found a nice lady and was "warming" himself. I would never say these things to him. He liked to think that I was oblivious to his personal life.

I cautiously opened the door to find the almost cold, violet eyes of Mai Valentine staring back at me. I resisted the impulse to jump back. She managed a small smile, which I reluctantly returned.

"Hey guys, c'mon in," I welcomed warmly.

Mai entered appraising the décor of the room. Tea was not far behind. She had a warmer look about her than my cousin. We exchanged mild compliments about the interior of my sky haven.

"Lera, do you mind if I use the bathroom before we go?" Tea asked.

"Sure down the hall, second door on the left."

She muttered her thanks before departing. Mai was still evaluating the setting. I said nothing, giving the awkward silence the victory. She turned to me with a slightly superior expression.

"Nice place, but I would expect no less from you," she stated. "You always did act just like Aunt Gloria."

"Mai…" I began, but she cut me off.

"Yugi hasn't been the same since you left, y'know. He's been very shy, and he has a major problem with Kaiba, who, by the way, is the same Seto you used to pal around with in Fox Run. He's changed a lot too."

"I know who Kaiba is, Mai, and I know how Yugi is. Look, you're my cousin, and you said that if I ever needed anything just to let you know. Right now I need you not to tell anyone about this. I'll tell you everything you want to know in good time. I just need you to keep this a secret," I explained.

"I will," she answered. "Under one circumstance: you answer one question. Does anyone know who you are?"

"Yes, Bakura, but no one else."

"Not even Kaiba?"

"Especially not Kaiba. He would only make matters worse. Why? Were you expecting me to say 'yes'?"

"There's a rumor circulating that you and Kaiba are a couple. Before you flip out, let me tell you where I heard it. Alicia Spinet said that Kaiba liked you, and one of her friends said that she heard the two of you were going out. When I heard it I figured it was true because even I figured out who you were, and God-only-knows how close you and Kaiba used to be. Ok, now my curiosity is satisfied, and I won't mention this to anyone. You have my word."

"Thanks, Mai, because right now I could use a few friends."

Seto's POV>

My quest to rediscover my old self was progressing quite well. I had become more open to Sclera Marshal. This in itself was an extreme achievement. Yesterday I spent all of my time at Kaiba Corps, preparing for the grand opening of Kaiba Land, which would occur next Saturday. I decided to take Sunday off and spend it with Mokuba, who insisted that we go shopping. I gave into his wishes. Not only was it an excuse to spend time with him, but it was also an excuse to add a little variety to my wardrobe.

I agreed to drive, for it had been a long time since my 1967 Shelby Mustang had stretched its legs. I can't remember a time when my brother was happier than the times he spent in the front seat of that car. Perhaps I should include myself in the last statement as well. I too was a bit of a gear-head.

"I love this car!" Mokuba exclaimed as we pulled out of the garage.

"I love it more," I challenged.

"Nuh-uh!" he cried.

"Yeah-huh." I returned.

This argument went on for the better part of five minutes. Finally, I called it a draw. He agreed as he selected one of my CD's to put in the portable boom-box system that rested in the back seat. My only problem with this car was the sound system, which consisted of a radio that had three channels, none of which satisfied my musical needs.

Despite common lore, I am addicted to music. My collection of CD's is well over 200 and has yet to cease its growth. I have a variety, a variety of rock that is, and I don't mean classic or soft. Heavy metal, alternative, punk are my preferences. The rest are alright.

My brother decided to play one of my favorites: 3 Days Grace. It was as though my soul was invaded by the lyrics. Somewhere between the first verse and the chorus, I started to sing. Many had dubbed my "melodic" voice to be perfect for rock and roll, but I myself prided my skills as a guitarist. With the little free time I had, which was usually in the dead of night, I practiced my self-taught skill. Only Mokuba knew of my late-night love, and I intended to keep it that way.

"Seto?" Mokuba asked suddenly, turning down the music. "What's up with you? You've been acting a lot differently this week. I mean, this is your first day off since like forever."

"I had an epiphany one day, realizing what I've become. I'm trying to rediscover the old self that I had lost. I'm kind of glad that you insisted on doing this today because it gives me an excuse to broaden my wardrobe and perhaps update other things in the process."

I flashed him a demon grin, which he returned willingly. It had been a long time since I had seen my brother this happy. Nearly three years to exact. He hasn't been the same since Lera left. Each day he becomes a little more like myself and a little less like her, but in dire times, her spirit reflects in his stormy eyes. It's like she was the angel keeping him from the demon like his brother. Now that the angel's gone, he has nowhere else to turn. "In the absence of light, darkness prevails."

Mokuba's POV>

I was happy that my brother was finding his alter ego once again. Seto used to be a punk kid, who never took "no" for an answer. Although most people thought that he was a problem child, he always did anything for his family, especially Dad.

Seto took over the household after Mom died. Though I never knew her personally, Seto told me lots of stories. Lera used to speak of her as well. From the stories, Mom seemed to encourage Seto's and Lera's behavior. By that I mean she all but instructed them to do whatever they wanted whenever they wanted.

After Dad died though, he lost himself. He began to let Gozaburo's inhumane theories and actions control him. Lera and I watched as the punk faded and the cold, assholic businessman took over. Just as Lera kept me sane, she moderated the changes in my brother, but now that Seto doesn't know her, he is consumed by the teachings.

Sclera's POV>

We'd been driving for about ten minutes before we reached the parking lot of Regal Impressions. I was surprised to find it "busy", at least for a Sunday. Mai and Tea got out of the car; each examining the other cars in the lot. Tea gawked at a nearby Ferrari, but Mai and simply dismissed the extravagant display. Mai explained that it was no nicer to handle than her Corvette.

The entrance to the building was even more impressive than the objects outside. Decorative glass statues towered above the marble floor. Gold was inlayed between each block, and it coated the banisters on the stairs and balcony. A very large, elegant chandelier protruded from the ceiling like a stalactite. Hundreds of dress in every style and color were on display, and the counter housed a long, glass display case containing jewelry.

"This place is unreal," Tea whispered. "It's like it's from a fairy tale."

"Ms. Marshal!" a thick, Italian voice called from someplace up above.

I smiled gently as the man darted down from the balcony. He came to a attention in front of me, giving me an opportunity to appraise him. He was definitely in his mid-30's, but his black hair bore no salt or pepper sprinkled anywhere. His brown eyes were brightly contrasted with his white Armani suit.

"Antonio!" I greeted warmly. "You look fabulous. I love the wintry look: white on blue. It suits."

"Yes, well we all need some light, don't we? Ah, who are these lovely ladies"

I introduced the man to the two girls. After the introduction, he recognized Mai. They continued to make idle chitchat as Tea and I continued admiring the interior. I glimpsed a look of awe in her face. Though the glass, marble, and gold were impressive, the car aroused greater admiration.

"So, what exactly are you ladies looking for?" Antonio inquired.

"Something novel yet classic. Something dark and shiny, and something purple," Mai stated.

I waited as he scribbled down Mai's request, and then nodded to Tea, saying she could place her order.

"I'd like something short, bright, form-fitting, and strapless."

"You know me, Antonio," I stated. "Surprise me."

He gave me his Cheshire cat smile before scampering off. Mai was beginning to look at the display dresses with Tea. I had my eyes on a cute sales clerk, who kept looking my way. He finally turned his full attention to the customer. I sighed gently. Antonio came back soon after.

"Now, before we can find the perfect dress, you must get measured and eliminate any styles that you don't like. Ladies will you follow me please."

He led us upstairs to the fitting rooms. Though the attention to the atmosphere was not to the extent of the main floor, the still left an impression. The floor was still made of marble, and each stall was composed of stainless steel and housed a platform mirror, which showed all sides. There was a woman trying on what appeared to be a wedding gown.

"You sell just about anything formal in here, right?" I asked.

"If it is beautiful and can be worn, then we probably have it in here. Now, the two of you can step into the last two stalls. The tailors will be with you shortly. Ms. Marshal, I am personally going to find the perfect dress for you, but first I must know the type of impression you want to make. Do you to impress the President of the United States or Seto Kaiba?"

"Seto Kaiba," I replied. "Make it cold, stately, and eye-catching."

"Your wish is my command. Dark or light?"

"Light."

"Going solo, eh? Well, I'll make it so that we change that."

I sighed as he disappeared. I love the guy, but sometimes it's just scary how well he can read me. Antonio is a born people-person. I think that's what made this place successful. He was personable, yet he was a businessman. I guess that is why him and I get along.

He returned, looking deeply troubled. He got the other two browsing through the computer's catalog. Finally, he insisted that I be measured once again. I protested, but reluctantly gave in to his whishes.

"Ms. Marshal, I could not find a dress to suit you, but I do have one on the drawing board."

"Show me something similar, and I'll see if I like it."

Antonio disappeared, stopping to get the others preferences as well. They joined me outside of the stall, chatting about the dresses they had selected as potentials. He was gone for about fifteen minutes, but he returned with a rack of dresses. He indicated to each of us which section was our own, explaining to me that my section was composed of dresses that inspired his drawing board creation. I discharged my thanks before diving into the pile.

The first dress was slim, fairly simple, and had a low cut back. It was a soft yet vibrant gold with matching hued gemstones forming the straps. I didn't like the low cut back or the fact that it was several inches from the floor. He smiled, causing me to suspect that he had concluded before my output that I would not be satisfied with those particular aspects.

The second dress was slightly similar to the first yet completely opposite. An icy cerulean blue replaced the warm gold, reminding me of the object of my affection's eyes. The neck line was closely related to a racing style jacket with a strap going all the way around my neck and connecting to the back, which was solid up to the back of my neck. The back was a little too high and the ties, which ran the length of my spine, weren't becoming for my purposes either. I informed him that I liked the color and the sheer sleeves that ran from the shoulder to the elbow and finally connected at the middle finger and the slit that ran to my mid-thigh.

The final dress was black and crimson. It puffed out at the waist, just like an evening gown was fabled to do. However, this was not what I wanted to be seen in at Frost King. The only thing that I like about was the "belt", which was constructed of fabric and reminded me of an abstract stained glass window.

I changed back into my black jeans and shadow silk shirt before joining the girls once more. Both were holding a dress, which had no similarities other than the fact that they were dresses. Mai's dress was a long, slender spaghetti strap. A tall slit ran along the majority of the lower half of the leg, and the royal purple base glittered with diamonds. Tea's dress was short, strapless, form-hugging and bright pink. The two were night and day when placed next to each other.

The Italian came to the front desk, checking the girls out. He gave them both a discount and informed them that he would be expecting them on the night of the event so that he could insure that the bearers of his masterpieces were fit to wear them. We thanked him as we left, and he also told me that I would be the sole possessor of his newest work until its popularity arose. We decided that since we had such good luck at our first stop that we would continue our shopping venture at the mall. I slid into the driver's seat of my Mercedes and began the journey to the mall.

Mai fiddled with the radio until she came upon the perfect station. The melody immediately aroused my dormant memory. "So Cold" by Breaking Benjamin. Never before had the lyrics provoked so much meaning as they were today given the nature of recent events. Visions of my past began to emulate in my imagination, and the phases that these events invoked a certain cold, powerful, blue-eyed CEO to undergo. I fought to contain the waterfall that surged against my eyelids. Mai, who was seated next to me, viewed the ongoing battle. She placed her hand on my shoulder.

"You can cry," she whispered so that no one else in the car could hear. "I won't tell."

Her words came too late, for by the time they escaped her lips, I had already triumphed. I drove in silence, refusing to meet the eyes of anyone in the vehicle. As I pulled into the mall parking lot, I spotted a 1967 Shelby GT 500. The girls gasped as they gazed at the magnum opus. I parked in the space next to the splendor, careful not to touch the mineral gray paint.

"That's a nice car," Tea remarked as we walked away.

"Whoever owns that car has some dough and connections. Those things eat parts and are impossible to find. They're also generally expensive," I added, knowing that Seto's father owned the classic once upon a time.

We entered the mall, which was not the spectacle of Regal Impressions but still deserved to be mentioned. The stores were mostly department stores, but there were a few brand names. There was an Armani store, which none of us wanted to attend. After walking a few feet, I discovered a Wilson's Leather Outlet. Mai and I jolted to the door, sharing a common fancy for leather, and Tea reluctantly followed, looking as though she wished she didn't know us. I split while they were examining the classic styles, and traveled to the section where my favorite jackets could always be found. I saw a familiar face and stopped dead in my tracks.

Seto's POV>

We had already visited most of the stores in the mall. Mokuba had convinced me earlier not to where a huge, billowing trench coat that was a billboard for Kaiba Corps. I submitted to his wishes. I selected a few items from Pac Sun, mostly sweatshirts and belts, some studded bracelets from Hot Topic, and assembly of new CDs that I had yet to add to my collection. With a little persuasion from Mokuba, I made an appointment to add highlights to my hair. We bickered back and forth about which color would suit me, and I triumphed with the suggestion of black. I stared in the mirror at the parlor, debating whether I liked the new style or not.

It was a look that I hadn't fancied since my days at Fox Run, but then again, wasn't that the time period I wished to resurrect? I decided that the stuck-up businessmen with sticks up their asses would just have to shut up and deal with it. Mokuba was trying to convince me to get my ear pierced, but I thought that maybe that was too bold a change for one day. Both of us were beginning to have enough of the mall, so we made one last stop at Wilson's Leather store. I was in the back of the store, examining a white, black and blue racing jacket, when I spotted her.

"Kaiba?" she asked in disbelief.

"Marshal," I answered in a better tone than I would have ever allowed. "How are you?"

"Are you sick?" she inquired, placing her soft hand on my head. "You're never this nice in public."

I winced as she said the last part, realizing how much cruelty I had shed upon her. I was astound that she had remained civil towards me through the warfare. I smirked demonically at her. She gave me the I-know-you-are-up-to-no-good-but-I-can't-do-anything-but-scold-you look. I watched her bright cobalt eyes as they examined the emotions mine held, attempting to uncover the source of the alteration in my exterior.

"You've really changed a lot in a short period of time. Not that it's a bad thing of course," she added quickly, hoping that I would not go nuclear on her.

"You think it's too bold? For a CEO, I mean." I asked.

"I think it's not too bold for a teenager," she reminded.

It had been a long time since anyone had thought of me as a teenager and not a CEO or a big brother. She saw that even though I acted like an adult, I was still a teen at heart, but then again, wasn't she in the same boat? She had inherited a small chain of restaurants from her foster parents and was now forced to devote her life to the survival of the chain. She always had to be thinking about what the public thought about her and her conduct, just as I did. We were the same, she and I.

I stared at her, admiring every aspect of her beautiful face. Her chestnut hair fell across her right eye, while her left one surveyed me. I gently swept the obstruction from her sight line. There was an electric shock that passed from me to her, causing her to jump back a few inches. I murmured my apologies, and she stared at me with even wider eyes. I knew that she had never expected to hear those words escaping my orifice.

I heard the voice of Mai Valentine and immediately began to tense. I had always admired her beauty even through the duration of our "romantic" relationship. That was a long time ago though. She and I had totally different views when it came to family. I glared at her as she gaped at my new completion.

"Wow, Kaiba. Are you trying to be funny or are you committing public suicide?" she questioned.

I refused to answer her question. She initiated one of our infamous staring contests. It was these contests that had resulted in our passionate outbursts once upon a time. However, I didn't fell the same urge that I had felt then to pounce and rip off all of her clothes. This non-existent urge confused me. Had I finally gotten over her, or was my adoration just transplanted into a different vessel? It only took one look into sapphire eyes to answer my question.

Sclera's POV>

To my amazement, Mokuba had not spoken since our meeting. I glanced at the kid, who was gently smiling at me. I returned his smile with a smirk as a served as a bystander to the war that was taking place between the two teens. I sensed the bond that had been buried in the closet with all the other skeletons. _They have been lovers. Or at least fuck buddies._

Seto seemed to be contemplating something about the subject before him, and as I glimpsed his eyes as they gaped at me, I knew that one of his options had just been confirmed. His gaze was now glued on me. I returned it inquisitively while remaining the look of knowledge. He blinked a few times before turning his attention to his younger brother.

"Well, kid, you about ready to go home?" he asked.

The boy nodded, seeming not to want anymore confliction between his brother and the headstrong female. I observed Seto's movements as he left. He rammed past Mai and didn't bother saying another word to me. _Some things never change. The only question I have is if Mai made him self-conscious or uncomfortable._

"He's a friendly fellow," Mai observed.

"Yeah, and he didn't seem too fond of you. Is there something that you're not telling me?" I replied gruffly.

"We had a relationship that didn't end very well. I pretend that I never knew him, but he's still universally sexy."

"That he is," I agreed. "Where's Tea?"

"She's over there flirting with the guy at the register. I swear, it's like she doesn't even know that Yugi likes her."

"Grab her. I want to go home now. This is too much excitement for one day."

She nodded, slightly taken aback by my demanding manner. I had not meant to sound so dictatorial, but my outrage towards her was shining brightly in my voice. In some sense, betrayal was the only thing that I could make of her actions. I knew in her mind she had not seen it that way, but I had.

The two appeared once again, Tea appearing slightly annoyed. I jerked my head towards the door before turning that way. They flanked me, creating a look similar to the three musketeers. Mai kept sending me apologetic glances, but I pretended as though she had not even existed.

It didn't take us long to arrive at the car. None other than Seto Kaiba and Mokuba now occupied the silver Mustang. Tea gasped as she laid eyes upon the sight and heard the loud, steady bass thundering from the car. He glared at Mai through the window as he backed out of the parking space.

"What's his deal?" Tea asked.

"The same thing that always is. He's jealous," Mai responded.

"Of what?"

"Sclera," she replied as though it was obvious.

"Why would he be jealous of Lera?"

"Because he knows he can't have her."

"Yeah, well that reason would be that he is too damn arrogant to show that he wants me," I interjected. "He is fine, but, damn, he's cold."

"Yeah. Why do you think I gave up on him? He never acknowledged that I was a woman. He just classifies me as a stupid geek with Joey and Yugi and Tristan."

"What you think I'm classified any differently than you?" I stated incredulously. "He's one of those stuck up pricks that believes that social class decides who mixes with whom."

"Deep down, I think he I think he's truly a teenager, but he doesn't want to show it because he had a reputation to uphold," Mai replied as I began to start the car, and the girls climbed into the car.

"You know he did look a little different. Like his hair was darker or something," Tea remarked.

"He hi-lighted his hair black. I thought it looked really hot," I stated.

"It did," Mai added.

We laughed. Mindless chit chat filled the car for the remainder of the ride. Mai tried to apologize without alerting Tea that anything was amuck. When we arrived at the apartments, Mai and I helped Tea unload the Mercedes and reload the Corvette that was in Mai's possession. After doing so, Mai ordered Tea to remain by the car while she and I climbed the tower to my sky-haven.

"Lera," she started quietly in the elevator. "I'm sorry."

"Tell me about it: the bad-ending relationship. What was it like?" I answered deadly. "How and why?"

"Well, for a long time, Kaiba and I were basically good friends. I decided that he had become handsome to be my "boyfriend." Or more precisely fuck buddy. Well it was going good for about a month, and than something weird happened. One night, after an hour of heaven, I noticed that he had fallen asleep. For a long time he looked peaceful, but then he started talking at first incoherently and then strings of phrases. 'I'm sorry, Blue Eyes. I have failed you.' 'You gave me the strength to live and fight, you and Mokuba, and I have betrayed your trust.' Things like that. I felt second rate to you, and so I ended it the next day. I guess it hurt him. I don't know. He never showed any emotion."

"Jut because he didn't show it, doesn't mean he didn't feel it," I responded coldly, stepping out of the elevator onto my private floor.

She stared at me sadly with amethyst eyes brimming in tears. I returned the stare coldly, taking on similar characteristics of my counter part. As the elevator doors closed, I leaned against the hallway, holding my head in my hands. Seto felt that he had a debt to me, a duty, when it is I who should truly hold the debt. He inspired me to not show how much toll the fatigue and assaults actually had on me. A new light had been shed upon me: a new view of the basis of the cruel façade the man displayed. I sat in the hall wondering what action I should take in light of this new information. I decided that there was only one thing to do: repay him for all that he has given to me.

Tornado: Finally another chapter. R&R.


	15. Plots and Scams

Tornado: Hiya, peeps! Thanx to all the people who reviewed in the last chapter. On with the fic.

* * *

Seto's POV

I was dragging myself out of bed before I knew that it was even Sunday evening. I had worked mostly through the night. There were things that I had refused to do for several months that I had needed to do. Once again, I had lost track of time.

Mokuba scolded me for not getting the appropriate amount of rest. I gave him an exasperated look as he darted out the car, giggling. I dozed for the remainder of the ride to the school. I gazed out of the window, searching for anyone that would be a threat to my plan to sleep for the remainder of the period before homeroom.

I staggered along the hallway, desperately attempting not fall down from exhaustion. I heard a female voice calling my name. I turned around, ready to launch a brutal attack on whomever dared to disturb me. I found a pair of kind, bright blue eyes staring at me in concern.

"Are you okay? You look like shit," the girl exclaimed.

"Yeah, I, um, didn't get much sleep last night. I had a shit load of odd jobs that I've been putting off for a good three months. I finally got caught up last night."

"What were you planning to do? Sleep in homeroom?"

"Something like that, but I'll be thrilled if I make it as far as my homeroom. I'm about ready to fall down."

"I'll help you get that far if you want."

I graciously accepted her offer. She walked quietly beside me as we made our way down the corridor. There were several times that she had to stabilize my stance before I finally took my seat. I slumped in my chair, sighing heavily.

"Three months ago, I could have had a night like last night without any problems the next day, but holy shit, now I can hardly stand up. I need to get more rest. I'm getting too old for this."

"I thought you said you were tired. Why are you still talking?" she questioned from behind the book that she was reading. "Get some rest. I'll wake you up if too many people come in. Don't want to ruin your image."

"I think I already did that with the new haircut. Hey, did I seem really hostile yesterday?"

"You were fine. Until Mai showed up that is."

"Did she tell you about us?" She nodded. "Kind of weird huh."

"Why should I care? I thought you were tired."

I smiled slightly. My head was so heavy that it fell to the desk with a light clunk. The lids of my eyes slowly slid shut as sleep overcame me.

Sclera's POV

I glanced over at my companion, wondering why it had gotten so quiet. The man was finally resting. He looked like an angel. Serenity was plastered all over his countenance. A lock of chestnut hair shaded his left eye. I gently brushed the lock aside.

People began filing in, and I nudged him awake. His eyes shot open as though he had never really been asleep. He groggily asked what time it was. I told him that it was just before homeroom was about to start. He sat up, rubbing his eyes.

"Hey," he whispered. "Is it just me or is everyone staring at me?"

"I think it's because of the drool that is running down your chin," I teased.

"That's not funny."

"As you said earlier, the new haircut is attracting attention."

"Hey, Kaiba!" a classmate called. "There's a rumor going around that you turned down Alicia and are going to Frost King with Marshal."

I felt my mouth drop to the ground. The blonde boy's comment attracted the attention of the entire class. Yugi and the gang just walked in and were staring open-mouthed at me. I buried my head in my arms, trying to make the awareness of the class disappear. Thankfully, Kaiba took control.

"Who did you hear that from, Alicia? She's just jealous that I turned her down. As for the latter part, I have no idea where you got the idea that I was interested in her, but it's false."

"Oh, yeah? Then why was she in you arms that day when she ran into you in the hallway?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, face paling slightly.

"Sure you don't."

"Hey!" Joey yelled. "He said he don't know what you're talking about, so he don't know what you're talking about."

"I never thought I'd see the day when you defended Kaiba," the boy stated amused.

"I'm not. The thought of Lera being lumped together with that jerk."

"Thanks, Joey," I mumbled.

The homeroom teacher walked in, and I re-engulfed in the book, praying that homeroom would come to an end. Neither Seto nor I said a word to the other. I refused to meet his desperate attempts to catch my eyes. I could tell that he wanted to explain what exactly had inspired the attention-drawing comments. I scribbled a note down on a small piece of paper saying, "We'll talk at lunch." I slipped it to him as the chimes of the bell clanged. He agreed with a nod as he walked out the door.

I gripped my head as I strode through the hallway. I could have sworn that I heard whispers echoing through the corridor. There were fingers pointing at me. Glares were directed at me. I was now the enemy of the school. The girls glowered while the boys scrutinized. The news had spread through school like wild fire.

Lunch could not have come any sooner. Seto was leaning against the wall outside, glaring at anyone who dared to even send a glance his way. I almost ran to his side and slapped the living daylights out of him. A long sigh gushed across his lips. I could inference that he had gone through the same hell that I had been going through.

"You need to know what the hell is going on," he grumbled. "If your day was anything like mine, you've already been to hell and back."

Seto's POV

I watched the girl approach. She was stressed. There was a group of girls behind her sniggering. A cold glare caused them to scurry the other way. I had been through an interesting morning of inquiries and questioning glances. There was no doubt in my mind that she had been the object of more than just inquiries and glances but also jokes and banters.

"You need to know what the hell is going on. If your day was anything like mine, you've already been to hell and back."

"It would be nice to know why everyone was staring at me as though I'd been convicted of treason," she replied heavily.

"Well, we might want to take a walk to get away from prying eyes. It's best if I tell the tale while you're sitting down."

We strolled away from the entrance to the cafeteria. There were hardly any souls wandering the halls as we made our way to the rooftop. I had chosen the spot because of the lack of people that seek refuge in the place during the lunches while they could be fraternizing with friends. She opened the door for me when we arrived at the portal to the outside world. The frigid air instantly frosted my body, but the blessed sun shed a fraction of warmth. Sclera leaned against the railing, absorbing the winter through closed eyes.

"This whole thing started last week when Spinet asked me to accompany her to Frost King. Of course, I said no because I don't like her and refuse to be seen in public in the company of such a slut. Well, you walked by and gave an acknowledging nod, and she translated that to mean that I liked you. So now, apparently, she blabbed her big mouth and spread it all over the school."

"Why would she get the idea that you liked me? C'mon, you haven't been anything but cold to me while we were in the presence of others."

"Obviously, someone saw us that day you were being chased by Taylor and the mutt because that was mentioned by that kid this morning. Maybe someone saw us at the mall or another time that we're not thinking of. Hell, for all I know, someone could have seen us together in your store that night."

"Something's wrong if we can name this many occasions that we could have been spotted," she stated.

I fell silent. There was a lot of truth to that statement. A realization dawned on me. This was the perfect excuse to ask her out. Of course, se had to agree to the machination, and we had to convince people that we weren't just doing it for the publicity, but the only ones I was worried about was the mutt and Taylor. I saw the familiar expression of scheming surfacing on the girl's face as well.

Sclera's POV

The mischievous expression on his face broadcasted his hypothesis. I was thinking, or at least hoping, that the inner mutineer would awaken from its eternal slumber. A large, demonic smile flittered across my face. Our eyes met for the first time since we had escaped into the winter wonderland. This was the ominous glance that was foreshadowing the erection or demise of the little we had accomplished.

"Are you thinking about giving the school what everyone is talking about?" I inquired slyly.

"You know how I hate to disappoint," came his reply. "We could at least last until Frost King, which is only two weeks away."

"That we could. So, what, starting tomorrow, let's say?"

"Tomorrow would be the opportune time."

We made the pact and scrambled down the stairwell as the bell rang. A nod was exchanged as we agreed to discuss the subject more in homeroom that afternoon. I was dashing to math class, huffing and puffing with the ten-pound load that was stashed under my arm. Ryou was openly staring at me as I darted through the closing door. His eyebrows were unequal in height, seeing as one was much higher than the other. I plopped into the chair beside him, attempting to catch my breath.

"The rumor mill has been going crazy since this morning. It seems that you and Kaiba are the newest celebrity couple. So, what really is going on?" he asked as the teacher began to instruct.

"As of when the rumors started, nothing. As of now, we're planning on scamming the entire school into thinking we're a couple," I answered smugly.

"Do you really think that's wise? I mean god only knows what could happen between the two of you. You've been off and on since you met, which was the first day you were here."

"And in that time span, there's nothing that we've really accomplished to destroy, so I'm confident that we'll be just fine."

"Personally, I think that Kaiba has got feelings for you that he doesn't want to admit."

"What makes you say that?"

"Why else would he agree to go along with this scheme? He doesn't give a hoot about his classmates' thoughts, so why would he want to stir up trouble?"

"It was a joint plan, not just mine."

"Which only proves my point more. Why are you bothering to fight this? You suddenly are concerned that he has feelings for you rather than being thrilled to death? Sometimes I wonder about you."

"It's not that I don't want it to be true. It's just that I know it isn't true and I don't want to get my hopes up."

He let the situation dissipate. I was thankful. I wasn't even sure anymore how to judge Seto's actions. There was just too much change going on. It was almost as if he was trying to regain part of himself or something like that. That was when it hit. What if that was exactly what he was trying to do?

Seto's POV

_Tomorrow will be an interesting day,_ I thought walking to homeroom. There was much more to be discussed about our scam before it could be considered infallible. After this morning's encounter with whatever that nobody's name was, it was sure to be common knowledge that we had denied any affiliation with one another, although anyone that saw us meandering from prying eyes during lunch knew that we had lied. So that was the cover story: we lied.

Sclera was already collapsed in her chair. Yugi and the rest of the gang were crowding her, pressing for the details of her day. Taylor shot me a venomous look before returning to comforting the exhausted form beside him. She announced that she was going to sleep through the rest of homeroom, and they instantly diffused. She laid her head down on her folded-arm pillow, causing me to reminisce about the morning when it had been I that was barely conscious.

"So, what else do we need to discuss?" she breathed so that no one but me could depict her words.

"To what extent are we going to take this? IS this just going to be a school thing or are we going to extend this to the real world?" I inquired from behind my book, mimicking her tone.

"How many of these snot-nosed groupies of yours are the daughters of wealthy business men that you know?"

"About twenty-five percent. I guess that means this will have to extend into our personal lives as well or at least business functions."

"You don't go out on Saturday or Friday nights do you?"

"Not unless I have a business dinner, which I'm due for one some time in the next week or two."

"All right, just as long as we are together during school gatherings we should be fine. Were you planning on going to Frost King?"

"No, why?"

"Well, you are now cause I'm already committed to going. I hope you own a spiffy suit or two."

"Please, I'm practically required to own at least two of those things. So, I guess I'm forced to degrade myself to the entirety of the social butterflies that make up the student body."

"That also means that you have to dance with me at least once. That's all I require."

"I can do that. You're buying my ticket though."

"You're a hell of a lot richer than me, so why do I have to buy your ticket?"

"Because you're the reason that I have to go to this thing, so fair is fair. I have a charity ball coming up next week anyway, so I'll compensate for that, and you're required to go to that one. The who's-who of businessmen _and_ their daughters are going to be there. A lot of them come from this school, like your friend, Mai. Spinet will be there to so you know no pressure."

"Grand. Does that mean you're paying for my dress?"

"If you really insist, yes, I will, but I'd prefer not to."

"I was just kidding. I think I've got a dress or two that will work. Oh man, how many of these social thingy's am I going to have to go to?"

"Just be glad you're not going to the dinners."

"I've waited on you idiots during one of those things, I don't want to be there for the entire conversation."

"You're right about that. The bell's going to ring soon. I'll pick you up tomorrow at seven thirty."

"Okay, High Tower Penthouses, apartment L8. Top floor, its the only apartment on that floor. Do you need directions?"

"No, I'm sure that On Star can find it," I answered as the bell rang. "Get a good nights rest. You'll need it tomorrow."

She nodded to me before dashing off to join the gang that she fraternized with. A backwards glance was passed as she was ushered out of the door. I nodded. Yes, tomorrow would be an interesting day. So many people, so much opportunity. I knew that the probability of me screwing this scheme up was much higher than that of the one that we'd be the talk of the school tomorrow, which was nearly one hundred percent. I was practically guaranteed to do something that would not only destroy the hidden goals that I had but also the goals that my partner-in-crime had. It was worth the risk.

I pondered if I should include my younger sibling in on the plot as well. He was bound to figure it out sooner or later anyway, so I might as well not keep anything from him. He'll get his feelings hurt if I don't tell him. As I had suspected, the moment he entered the car he asked if something was wrong. I replied that it was nothing. He continued to pester, knowing that in good time I would have no choice but to surrender to his wishes. I did quickly to eliminate the post-disclosure argument. His face contorted into a countenance of shock and erudition. He smirked.

"I know what you're doing. You're using the public scam excuse to cover for the fact that you want to be in a relationship with her. Why bother? Why not just come out and say it?"

"Because, knowing me, either way I'll fuck it up. This way I can shrug and say that I made a mistake and go on with my life while, hopefully, remaining friends with her."

"Did you just call her your friend?"

"Shut up!" I snapped, unable to come up with a real come back.

He laughed hysterically. I almost found myself laughing with him. Almost.

Sclera's POV

I nearly skipped into my apartment. Henry shot me a questioning glance before shaking his head in disbelief. I quickly changed into an outfit that I could relax in. I heard several clanks coming from the kitchen and wandered out to see what the dinner meal was going to consist of. There were two rather large fillet mignons on a plate on the counter as well as two potatoes that Henry was preparing to be baked. I silently grabbed the steaks and my personally adored selection of seasonings (garlic salt and chili powder.) The glass door to the balcony slid open with the push of a button, clearing my passage to the grill, which was the only type of cooking that I was decent at. Ironic for a person that owned restaurants.

Henry joined me shortly after I had commenced my cooking. He sighed as he leaned against the frigid railing. I stood beside him, gazing at the cityscape. A large smile crossed my face as I spotted the towering form of a certain boy's company. It quickly turned into a smirk.

"So what's got you in such a good mood? Has school suddenly taken a turn for the best?" Henry asked.

"You could say that. School was both horrible and awesome today. Shitty morning, but a lot better after lunch. I guess now I technically have a boyfriend."

"Okay, what happened and what are you planning on doing?"

I explained the rumors that had been circulating the school and what Seto and I had planned to do about it. He listened quietly, nodding and shaking his head on numerous occasions. When I had finished my tale, he gave me his gravest look.

"Do you know what you're meddling with, Sclera? This is your best friend that you're scheming with. The same best friend that you ran away from and have feelings for. Do you really think its wise?"

"Henry, I appreciate your concern, but trust me, I can handle myself. This is one area I don't have a problem in."

"Well, then," he sighed. "I suppose your mind is made up and there's no telling you otherwise. Just be careful."

"I will," I answered strongly.

He sighed as he walked back inside. I returned my attention to the meat, which lye sizzling above the flames. Five minutes later, a head popped out the door, stating that dinner could be served. I removed the meal from the inferno, making sure to turn off the fire-maker. We ate in silence, neither knowing what to say to the other one.

I, upon finishing my meal, immediately ventured into the den, which was located just to the right of Henry's room and housed the household computer. A quick e-mail check confirmed that Phillip had followed my instructions and put out a job-broadcast looking for waitresses. There were the files of several applicants included in the message. I printed them and settled into the large, welcoming black leather couch that was positioned against the wall.

It was about midnight I guess when Henry informed me that he was going to bed and that I should consider the action. I stretched, tossing the files haphazardly on the sofa to remind me to finish my elimination process tomorrow. I hadn't realized how fatigued I was during the duration of the time that I had been engulfed in my work, but as I lurched to the bedroom, it was inevitable. I collapsed onto the bed without changing and allowed sleep to override my body.

I awoke when I hit the floor. The moment I opened my eyes, they involuntarily snapped shut again. The lights were blinding to those that had been dead to the world only moments before. I felt a pair of arms drag me across the floor, and a voice commanded that I get ready before I was late for school. I groaned as I unsteadily rose. One glance in the mirror was all it took to confirm that I needed to get a shower and actually make an effort to look decent.

The hot water washed away all of my dreariness. Henry had attempted to energize me by playing one of my albums over the speaker system. It worked. There was a uniform and a coffee waiting for me in the bedroom, and the door had been closed for privacy. My ritual was completed, and I trekked into the kitchen to socialize. Henry was waiting.

"I was afraid that you'd be late. You looked dead tired last night. Don't worry you've got time to spare. Did you do your math homework? Thought not. Well, hurry you haven't got all day," he fired off in rapid succession.

I dutifully did as he had said and began pouring myself into the work. The doorbell rang when I had gotten half way done. Henry rose to get it and let out a small yelp of surprise. I checked my watch, crying out as well. I threw my stuff into my backpack while saying, "Henry is that Kaiba? Oh, shit I lost track of time! Don't worry about taking me to school I got a ride. I'll call you later bye!"

I scrambled to the door where Seto stood with his eyebrow raised in an uncharacteristically odd manner. I murmured my apologies. He shrugged.

"I'm a little early actually. Are you ready?"

I nodded, and he led the way to the elevator. I took a deep breath. Let the day begin.

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Tornado: Yeah it's finished. R&R. 


	16. The First of the Firsts

-Tornado: Hiya peeps! Well, here we are for another chapter! Oh what a chapter it will be! Thanks to all the pple that reviewed! And without further a do, on with the fic…

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Seto's POV

It had been indeed interesting fetching Sclera from her high tower, and the girl had been rushing to complete the math homework that she had forgotten the prior night. Now, she was calming her frazzled nerves, or so I presumed, as she stared aimlessly out the window. I too was taking deep breathes trying to force my mask into perfect position to withstand the remarks and looks that my peers would doubtlessly give me.

"How do you think we should handle this whole thing?" the girl breathed nervously. "Should we pretty much make it known to all without any question that we're a 'couple' or just hint at it?"

"Direct will save us time and energy. Although, not so direct that we're making out in the hallway, but enough to let the student body know that we mean 'business,'" I answered.

She sighed. "Does that mean that you're going to be draped over me the entire day?"

"I don't drape myself over anyone, and I don't expect you to be hanging all over me. If you want to then by all means, but I would prefer if you didn't because you don't seem like that kind of girl."

"You never know, it's not often that I have a boyfriend with as much power as you," she answered winking.

"Like you need a rich, powerful boyfriend. I saw that apartment of yours. You probably don't even need that butler you got working for you."

"Henry? Yes, I would be completely lost if it wasn't for him. He does all the domestic stuff that I haven't bothered to learn over the years. The only type of cooking I can do is on the grill."

"I could live off of grilled food. That and Buffalo wings."

"Wow," she stated amazed. "For a minute there, I couldn't tell that you were a millionaire CEO. You sounded like every other guy."

"I wasn't always this rich, so I still have the occasional tendency from my past. Buffalo wings, barbeque ribs, and fried chicken, they're my favorites."

"I guess even the CEO of Kaiba Corps can at least be little bit normal. Ah, shit, we're here," she stated as the car began to pull into the drive.

The car came to a stop, and I gracefully exited the car. I extended a hand to assist in the removal of the remaining passenger. She hesitated a moment.

Sclera's POV

A hand reentered the car, beckoning me to accept the help that it held. I was averse for a moment, pondering the intelligence of the deception that I was about to commit. But then again, was it deception on my part or was I simply using the opportunity as an excuse to live out a fantasy? With another deep, steady breath, I grasped the hand firmly and allowed it to hoist me from the safe confines of the limousine.

There were a lot of people loitering at the entrance to prison. Most of those present had their glued upon the scene that was occurring in front of them. I consciously tugged at my skirt as though that was the source of the problem, but I knew the eyes were boring into my soul, all wondering what the two people, who just yesterday had sworn that there was nothing transpiring romantically between them, were doing exiting the same car.

Seto cast a wary gaze around the onlookers, and with a slight arrogant smirk, gave a small wave to someone in the crowd. There, mouth dropped nearly to the pavement, stood a baffled Alicia Spinet. She suddenly turned angry, and she flipped me off before stomping away. Seto gave a scoff of achievement. I rolled my eyes at the display of juvenile behavior.

"This is why you wanted to get here at seven thirty, wasn't it?" I asked the man to my left.

He gave a guilty smile. I sighed, shaking my head. He gave a gentle push, signaling that it was time we got inside. I gave a slight nod of my head before following. We received the same reception from most of the school. The girls sent hatred-filled glares my way, while the boys gawked enviously at Seto. The school was aflame with gossip.

The gang was in homeroom when Seto and I entered. I spouted off of Seto to join them. Joey gave me a slight punch on the shoulder in greeting while Yugi and Tea smiled. I instantly became engrossed in the conversation, abandoning all thoughts of my scam for the moment, and did not focus on the matter again until some of the more popular girls entered the room.

"Oh, I see how it is, Marshal," a particularly loud blonde stated. "You think that you're such hot shit coming to school with Kaiba, but then he doesn't exist once you're with your friends."

"She doesn't need to be by my side at ever moment of every day," Seto spoke from behind his book. "Actually, I prefer if she gives me my much-needed space."

My group's eyes were on me questioningly. I gave a long sigh before stating; "You can't rag on me because I didn't see you with your boyfriend wandering the halls this morning."

She seemed to grasp the implication. She stared wildly between Seto and I, shaking her head in disbelief that neither was making any move to deny her assumptions. Tea's mouth was gapping far enough to fit a large orange in it. Joey and Tristan looked completely lost, while Yugi's were wide in disbelief.

"Wait," the blonde began. "Are you saying that you and Kaiba are a couple?"

"What's it to you?" I heard Seto ask.

She screamed and stormed out of the room, attracting the attention of everyone that had not been aware of the conversation. Tea gasped. Joey and Tristan stared at me with extremely dumbfounded looks on their faces along with the rest of the class. I twitched as all eyes bore into Seto and my eyes. They wanted answers, and they wanted them now.

Seto's POV

I saw Sclera twitch as the interest of the class became obsessed with her and I. The mutt shifted his gaze to me, transforming it into a heated glare. I raised an eyebrow gently, as if daring him to say anything stupid in front of the entire class. He began to shake in utter rage and stood up yelling, "Kaiba, what the hell did you do!"

"Nothing. I asked a girl out. The last time I checked, there was no law against that," I answered coldly.

"Yeah, but up 'til now you've been saying that you had no use for a girlfriend. What changed your mind?"

"He's right, Kaiba," Gardener stated. "Even yesterday, the two of you said that you weren't going out. What changed?"

"We lied. Simple as that," Sclera whispered. "Now we've pretty much decided that there's no use hiding it because it will only cause more rumors and dirty glares. Besides, I'm not much of a person for hiding things."

The pointy-haired idiot was staring at me suspiciously. I shifted my gaze to my partner in crime. She was cool, confident. For that, I was thankful. The whispers throughout the class increased by ten fold. No doubt, everyone wanted to know if this was for real or a scandal. We didn't have to endure the scrutiny for much longer. The bell rang, and everyone dashed off to his or her classes, each one dying to leak the latest news in gossip. I sent Sclera a glance before she rose to head to study hall. I followed closely, reluctant to let the girl out of my sight.

"You don't have to act like my bodyguard," she chided. "I can manage myself and any other idiot that thinks he has a chance in defeating me."

"I just want to be close in case anyone has any thoughts of trying your strength," I answered. "I know perfectly well that you can maintain yourself. Unless of course that it be Alicia Spinet that tampers with you."

She gave me a guilty smile. I lightly shoved her to the side. She reacted with a quick punch to my bicep. I was debating whether I should sling her over my shoulder and carry her into the classroom, but thought much better of it. We took our seats on opposite sides of the room. For once, I was glad that we had study hall together, yet cursing the fact that we were no longer in Home Ec. And sat on opposite sides of the room. She winked at me before pulling out her unfinished math homework. I sighed, fiddling with the book in my hands. I wasn't able to concentrate on the plot. My eyes always seemed to meander to the beautiful girl that was seated across the room. She was still engrossed in her work. Her hair, which had been loose and flowing before, was now secured in a bun by two pens. Though it didn't help the several strands of hair that she had missed. My attention was grabbed by feverish whispering coming from behind me.

"Maybe they really are going out," a squeaky feminine voice said. "I mean they did come to school in the same limo, they came into class together, and now Kaiba can't seem to keep his eyes off of her."

I inwardly winced. _Was it that obvious?_ A quick glimpse around the room confirmed it. Yes, it was that obvious. Even the people who didn't pay any mind to me before were curiously looking at Sclera and then me. I almost chuckled at the fact that she had no idea how many pairs of eyes were studying her. A chime sounded, and the student body rose, still giving us backwards glances. Sclera was at my side in seconds.

"Did you finish?" I asked, nodding my head toward the thick book she had clutched at her side.

"Yes. I was surprised. Nobody really seemed to care about what happened this morning."

I chuckled this time. "What's so funny?" she demanded.

"The fact that you have no idea how much attention we attracted," I replied before ushering her into the classroom and turned away.

Sclera's POV

Seto had been absolutely correct when he said that I was clueless. All of my classes were filled with inquisitive glances and hushed voices. The teachers were even staring at me oddly. I was very tempted to stand up and shout, "Yes, I'm going out with Seto Kaiba, so fuck off!"

I didn't encounter Seto again until lunch. He was waiting patiently for me outside of my classroom. He greeted me with an award-winning smirk. I rolled my eyes, looping my arm around his waist.

"So, now you decide to get clingy. I never thought that you were the type," he stated mischievously.

"Oh, shut up. You're the one that's practically escorting me to all my classes. How many classes have you been on time to?"

"All the ones that I didn't have to come pick your ass up for."

"I never said that I wanted a bodyguard."

"Well, too bad because it comes with the package."

I laughed, ruffling his black-streaked hair. He gave me a don't-mess-with-the-hair look. I juvenilely stuck out my tongue. He shook his head, immediately tensing. My eyebrows involuntarily furrowed. His ocean eyes never left whatever they were targeted. He formed a glass-shattering grip on my shoulders. I tore my eyes away from the emotionless display before me to find a large group of jocks and preps forming around the entrance to the cafeteria.

"Why's nobody going in?" I asked. "Is there a dead body in there or something?"

"I think that this is the price we pay for our actions," his voice murmured in my ear; the wind sending shivers down my spine.

The heads of numerous bodies in the group refocused their precious attention on us. Several of the gazes held nothing but jealousy and hatred. I returned the hostility with an arctic glare. Through the unfamiliar hate, I spotted a semi-welcoming friend. Tea was also huddled into the crowed, and the rest of the gang was not too far away. I smiled warmly, offering peace to them with a wave. The girl turned around and grabbed the two unwilling companions by the ears, dragging them to us. I felt Seto tense even more, sending his own hostility to two being drug. Yugi approached with a big grin on his face.

"Hey, you two!" he greeted warmly.

"Hey, yourself," I responded, quickly forgetting all the anger. "What's up?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to sit with us at lunch. I didn't know if you were going to since… you know… you and Kaiba…"

I turned to Seto. He was avoiding my gaze. I continued to stare at the side of his head with the best puppy-dog face that I could muster. After a few minutes, he broke the silence, "Fine, but the two mutts have to behave themselves."

"They will, but you better be on your best behavior as well," I insisted.

He growled a bit. A small giggle gushed from my mouth before I could consider the action. He glared, but a ghost expression flittered across his face. It was a smile. Or at least its ghost, but it was better than anything that he had done so far. If I had been a light bulb, I would have been a hundred watts.

Seto's POV

I couldn't even begin to fathom how she had convinced me to sit with her and the geeks. As far as I was concerned, it was pure torture. And though I will adamantly deny it to anyone that asks, seeing that smile on her face was worth every minute of this hell. Not to mention that giggle. That was cute too. Immediately, I began assaulting my mind. _Why are you thinking stupid things like that? Since when is the word 'cute' in your vocabulary in a comment that was not sarcastic? Damn these thoughts. I swore that I was going to start trying to recover from all the damage that had been done since my parents' deaths. The conscience takes much longer to adjust than the mind, I guess._

"Seto?" a female voice asked.

"What?" I demanded agitatedly. _Has she called me Seto before?_

"I just wanted to make sure you were still with us. You've been very quiet."

"I'm fine," I hissed.

I kicked myself for being so aggravated. _People are going to wonder how she can put up with me. I need to get these stupid automatic reflexes under control._ The rest of the meal passed without me being constrained into the conversation. Sclera and I left a few minutes ahead of the bell. She was silent as we trudged down the hallway. In fact, she refused to allow her eyes to move a centimeter from the floor.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing," she sighed. "I just realized that as long as this charade is going on, I won't be able to sit with my friends. You guys don't exactly get along."

"You don't have to sit with me every day. I'd prefer it if you didn't. Even you have your dignity, and clinging to guys like your life depends on it does not seem to suit you."

"Thanks, Seto," she muttered with a small smile. "Oh, would you prefer it if I called you 'Kaiba?'"

"No."

"Ok, just checking."

"You must be in a pretty good mood today. All you seem to do is smile and giggle like a little girl."

"Well, it's not everyday that you get to masquerade as the hottest-guy-in-school's girlfriend and rub it into the majority of the schools face."

I scoffed. "That's a very selfish reason."

"Can't be perfect," she answered as the bell rang. "Well, I'm here, so I guess I'll see you in homeroom."

"I'll see you at the end of your last class. Bye"

"Bye," she replied, giving my hand a squeeze and me a smile.

_This is going to be hard. I have to pretend to be this girl's boyfriend and keep myself from getting too emotionally involved. _It wasn't going to be hard. It was already a lost cause. There was no real point to what we were doing other than piss the school off. All that was left was my own selfish reason. But what about her reason? Why did she agree to this? She had said that it was for shits and giggles, but off the top of my head, I can't think of anybody that is this good of an actor. She did kiss me, but that was months ago. Maybe, just maybe, somewhere in the back of that mysterious and beautiful mind of hers, she cares for me. Maybe…

Sclera's POV

I was living on cloud nine. Seto was behaving like a human being and not constantly pushing me away. I was also glad that the gang had accepted his presence so well. Joey and Tristan were reasonably wary of him still, but hopefully, as time wore on, I would be able to put that rivalry to rest as well.

Ryou sat in the usual spot in math, impatiently twiddling his thumbs. His chocolate eyes immediately shot up when I entered the room. Whether it had been my footsteps that had warned him or the long breath of hisses and sighs that accompanied me, I knew not. His face was grave; something rarely seen when encountering him. No doubt he would have many words of wisdom to those that he that were making a mistake.

"Do you really think that it is wise doing this?" he asked calmly. "Do you really understand what you are meddling with?"

"Yes, I know what I'm doing," I answered, remembering the conversation that I had with Henry the night before.

"I just want you to realize that you're not only toying with your own emotions but Kaiba's as well. Remember that when you go to end this charade. He is not as strong as he once was, and is beginning to fail rapidly with every second that you drag him into your life."

"You make it sound like I'm seducing him or something."

"In a way you are. I'm not saying that you need to stop, but I want you to tread cautiously when you're dealing with him. If you continue on the path that you have set, you will undoubtedly break what little remains of both of your hearts."

The conviction in his voice was overpowering. I futilely attempted to understand what all he meant, but I knew that only time would tell. There were some things that no one could predict.

After that, he refused to talk to me. I tried to ignore the glances that were being passed my way from the students. Ryou was mad at me for doing this though I didn't quite know why. Without him, my favorite class held nothing but pure, hellish torment. My mind deviated to Seto. I had long since given up on trying to decipher his motives, and my own had lost their significance somewhere along the line as well. Thoughts that began in "why" or "what if" were being tossed haphazardly to the side. They no longer mattered. There was no chance to withdraw and concede any more. This I realized. I had already almost made it through my first day: the hardest one. In time, we would become old news; a thought that brought me much needed relief.

The sweet chime of the bell wretched me from reverie. A hand gently danced across my shoulder. I glimpsed a hint of chocolate before the hand's owner strolled out the door. _Maybe he isn't mad at me. Maybe he's just worried. He always wants what's best for me. _I sighed, hoisting the pile of books into my arms, scampering into the crowded hallway.

It wasn't long before I was strolling out of my last class nearly ramming my body into Seto. With a greeting of elevated eyebrows, he silently escorted me to homeroom. We received the same greeting that we had all day long, cold stares and whispering. Of course, by now the acceptance of such things had become natural. We took ours seats, and my gang journeyed back to visit. Joey, grinning like a Cheshire cat, plopped down next to me, tossing an arm over my shoulder. His face turned disgruntled at the lack of reaction from Seto. He did not allow this to go unnoticed.

"So, Kaiba, I don't know if I trust you dating Sclera. I mean, you hate me, and here I am just randomly tossing my arm over your girl's shoulder, and you do nothing," he jabbed, glaring at his rival.

"She has made no move to protest the arrangement; therefore, one would assume that she is comfortable, and you, mutt, should be thankful because if she did, I would not hesitate in tearing one of your precious limbs from you," the man hissed, ice eyes aflame with guarded defensiveness.

My gaze flickered, demanding silence from them both. Neither seemed to pay me any heed. They simply went on in their quest to out do the other in a staring contest. I heard a scoff emit from Tea's lips, and Yugi and Tristan were a bit sweat dropped from the threat. I extracted a book, burying myself into the land of faeries, but a shadow was soon cast over my page. I looked up to discover a large amount of students crowding the desk. Instinct required that I jerked backwards to escape the daunting figures.

"So then," demanded the voice of snooty girl. "The rumors are true? The two of you are a pair?"

"Explain to me what this has to do with your life," Seto demanded.

"School gossip is my life," the girl replied, nose thrust in hubris, hailing the ceiling.

"Then yes," he returned, after a large show of eye-rolling. "We are a pair, couple, item, or whatever other name that you want to label us as."

"Why her?" came another's, a male, voice.

"Again explain to me what that has to do with your life."

There arose a great deal of grumbling, and shouts echoed throughout the room. In a flash of panic, I felt the near over-powering urge to crawl behind Seto, who, had managed to remain clam until the mob had left. With a sharp scold, I planted myself to the seat, savoring the unpleasant attention being delivered to me.

"That's enough," the teachers voice demanded, causing silence to conquer. "I know we would all like to express our… opinions about the school's newest couple, but those could be delivered in a manner less intimidating then this massive mob. But before the usual order is restored, I would like to say congratulations to the two of you and good luck. All right! Now, since you can't behave like high school students, back in your seats, homework out, and NO talking!"

There were even more grumbles as the mass disapated, much in the manner of nuns after their daily service. I shook off the feeling that had crept into my heart, staining the taste of bitter memories on my tongue. Seto was unscathed and collected as seemed to be the incessant exterior. I once again thrust myself to the other world.

Seto's POV

Homeroom had been the worst part of the day. There was simply no other time when I had been mobbed and accused with such vindication. Well, all except the encounter with Alicia Spinet, which had occurred not long after I had left Sclera at math. She had cried, yelled, even cursed me to hell a few times. Homeroom was also the first time I saw Sclera really looked like she was trapped. It was hard to believe that this was the same girl who had verbally demolished Keith, me, and the school councilor all in the same day.

Once outside of the wretched prison, an enormous weight seemed to be removed from my shoulders. The first day of our scheme had passed without major incident, but there were still many "first" trails to encounter. Like Sclera's first business ball, which would be one that would require me to be in close proximity to her at all times. As well as the first time she met my brother, first time she attended a school function with me, and an ongoing list of other ridiculous situations that would undoubtedly curse us.

She was bidding her friends good-bye, the mutt's gang as well as another groups, all of whose members were anonymous in my eyes. Being raised as a gentleman, I opened the door of the sleek limousine for her, observing the way she practically tossed her body into the seat. I gracefully eased beside her, snapping the door closed behind me. There were many long minutes of comfortable, eerie silence.

"I'm tired," she mumbled, words obstructed by the car seat.

I spared her a glance. She was sprawled facedown, hair haphazardly cascading over her cranium and neck. Her skirt had flipped itself up, revealing more then I should have known was uncovered. I quickly averted my gaze, a bit ashamed that I had even glimpsed what lie beneath. Thankfully, she didn't notice.

We arrived at her apartment without words or touches. She rose as the car slowed, gathering herself and belongings. I accompanied her to the elevator, lightly contacting her shoulder as I did so. She faced my, eyes fatigued and dull.

"Rest. You'll need every bit that you can get."

She nodded, face becoming obscured by the elevator doors.

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Tornado: I'm very sorry it took so long guys. Hopefully I'll be on a roll over X-mas break, but then again I might be studying for my driver's test or driving :) 


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